[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-peace-decree":3,"chapter-the-peace-decree-the-peace-decree-chapter-80":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Peace Decree",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2328255,4553,"Chapter 80: I Forged My Body","the-peace-decree-chapter-80",80,"\u003Cp>The young man’s fingers stopped plucking the zither, yet the music still lingered in everyone’s ears, echoing through the teahouse, as if even the rain outside had grown distant; his zither melody was free and graceful—when people came to their senses, they saw him seated there, sipping tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his teacup and offered it over; the tea was pale and light, perfect for the girl beside him to pair with dried figs—fruit abundant in the Western Regions, dried by sun and harsh winds yet still sweet, while the coarse tea of Jiangnan perfectly muted its richness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s that? Better now, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One salty, one sweet—never wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy smirked, raising his eyebrows; he wore black robes with white trim, plain and unadorned, yet a flower tucked behind his ear brought his demeanor alive with vibrancy—he sat there explaining the snack to the young lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a nearby table, a young woman lowered her head in shyness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young lady savored the poem in her mouth, struck by its brilliance, thinking the fellow would surely say he’d heard it sung by some great scholar during his ten-year flight from war—but the poem was exquisite, and suddenly her face flushed crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened as if she’d just realized it; she murmured the line several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fair, jade-like cheeks visibly blazed red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t help but lift her leg and lightly kick Li Guanyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face burned crimson as she stammered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What’s wrong with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young lady, face aflame, whispered: “Why did you write such a poem—and sing it out loud?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi smiled: “I didn’t write it. On my flight from war, I met a great scholar named Liu Sanbian—he recited it once by a well. My memory’s good, so I remembered it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao snapped: “Then why did you put my name in it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Storm surges, frost and snow!’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi froze. He’d played the zither with pure abandon, never realizing the line could be parsed as “Frost-tide like Jiangnan snow.” Now, seeing the girl’s face blazing red, the blush seeming to bleed into her eyes, yet tinged with indignation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow rarely fell in Jiangnan; Jiangnan snow was as rare as this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi, who prided himself on his wit, found himself speechless:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around them, everyone burst into laughter; the girl stomped her foot and turned to run out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, something flew through the air—Li Guanyi caught it in his hand: a silver ingot, like the coins tossed to storytellers and singers for applause. The boy had no scholar’s haughtiness; he took the silver, bowed slightly with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he grabbed an umbrella and stepped into the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who’d thrown the silver sat on the teahouse’s second floor; a few raindrops still splashed in. Most avoided this spot—it cost extra to sit upstairs, and those seeking shelter were mostly children and vendors who’d rather get soaked than spend ten cash to enjoy the view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who’d thrown the silver wore a wide-brimmed hat and murmured softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Storm surges, frost and snow—the sky’s abyss without end. A fine melody.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Guo’s elegance differs from Ying Guo’s—and Jiangnan has such a youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was a woman; she wore a mask, her gaze clear and luminous. Opposite her sat a man: “I didn’t expect the Sword Immortal of Luzhou would care so much for such a verse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman replied coolly: “Poetry and verse bring me no benefit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just that his zither-playing reminded me of an old friend from my youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t heard her music in a long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man sensed the martial elder’s reluctance to speak further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled faintly: “Earlier, your swordsmanship aided me and our Chen Guo’s Guardian General Xiao Wuliang in crushing Yue Qianfeng. He was a formidable general—only your Body-Shattering Sword Qi broke his aura, exposing his weakness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Sword Immortal of Luzhou—your name is well deserved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s my thanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man pulled a box from his sleeve and placed it on the table, sliding it forward. Made of golden sandalwood—rare, taking millennia to grow—just the box was priceless, let alone its contents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman called the Sword Immortal of Luzhou didn’t glance at it. She said coolly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only kept my promise to Dantai—we once agreed I’d lend my blade thrice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After three, our past debts are erased.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That last time was the second.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man smiled, murmuring: “You’re still a figure of the Jianghu—one promise, a thousand gold. This third summons to Jiangzhou was still for the old matter—and now the world is in upheaval: Tuyuhun is meat, all nations are knives. Chen Guo’s Grand Sacrifice is the curtain’s opening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the surface, flowers bloom lushly; beneath, it’s oil on fire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Domestically, there’s Yue Pengwu’s affair, the courtiers and the two newly appointed Silver-Green Light-Lord ministers, plus Xiao Wuliang and Yue Qianfeng’s conflict; abroad, the Turkic, Tangut, and Ying Guo all come. If Yue Qianfeng, that brute, acts recklessly, won’t Chen Guo lose face before the world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I beg you, Sword Immortal—restrain that man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Immortal of Luzhou said: “...Yue Qianfeng is strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man nodded, praising: “Thirty-fourth on the Divine General List—of course he’s strong. But you, Sword Immortal, roam the Jianghu with peerless sword qi; stopping him isn’t hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Immortal of Luzhou replied: “Only a fifty percent chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should seek someone stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man laughed, yet with deep regret:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those stronger than you no longer tread lightly in the mortal world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget the four legendary martial sages—do you want me to seek the Ten Grand Masters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jianghu wanderers fight for fame; most seek renown to be recruited as generals and commanders. Many of the nations’ famed generals once roamed as wanderers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the Ten Grand Masters—each could rank on the Divine General List—refuse to be controlled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s eyes suddenly sharpened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only now, with the world still unsettled, do they have room to exist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the world unifies, they must be trampled under horsehooves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Immortal of Luzhou said nothing, gazing outside. One side of the Divine General List bore the Master List—cultivators outside court and sects, fighting in the Jianghu, entangled in grudges and passions, rising to dominate regions, forming factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianghu grudges and passions rival those of the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man added: “You seem unwilling to act. You just mentioned the Ten Grand Masters—tell me, which one do you think strongest? Who could easily control Chen Guo’s Grand Sacrifice? I’ll report to my master and spare no effort to bring him back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was stalling for time with this Sword Immortal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-masked Sword Immortal said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That one—you know him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But only him—you cannot summon him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s smile vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew who she meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one undisputedly capable of walking into battle and shattering Yue Qianfeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the rain slowed, dripping from eaves onto ceramic jars—clear, crisp. The Sword Immortal of Luzhou lifted her sword, gazing at the scenery beyond, and murmured: “Twelve years ago, when the Duke of Taiping was trapped in Jingcheng, Ying Guo’s Tiger Savage cavalry invaded the Eighteenth Province of Jiangnan. He rode forth with ninety-seven mystic weapons, personally blocking them beyond the pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man said: “The Duke of Taiping wasn’t trapped—he chose to stay in Jingcheng, drinking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Immortal of Luzhou replied coolly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d like to ask: what was the Duke of Taiping doing in Jingcheng, two years before his death?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Guo’s border troops retreated—as if deliberately letting Ying Guo invade. The Murong clan defended the city, losing three hundred seventy-two direct heirs; their blood flowed into the city’s rivers. In the end, the city’s own people held it, driving back thirty thousand troops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He personally slew seventeen hundred Tiger Savage heavy cavalry, charged seven times, shattered the world’s second-ranked heavy cavalry—taking a decade to recover.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He killed two Divine Generals on the list.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among Jianghu Grand Masters of Central Plains, he was the strongest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among swordsmen of the world, none was more ruthless. But can you summon him back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s eyes flickered with dread; he lowered his head and sipped tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Immortal of Luzhou lifted her sword, opened her umbrella, and stepped out of the teahouse, murmuring softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One flute, one sword—my life’s intent; I’ve squandered my wild fame for two hundred years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiangnan’s Divine Weapon: Murong Mansion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sword Madman, Murong Long Tu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sword raised, horse galloping, blood rain falls; bones pile like mountains, birds take flight in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Long Tu’s ambition—autumn waters leave no trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiangnan mist and rain—Divine Weapon Murong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lineage uniquely wielding both weapon and music, blending martial and literary mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man sipped tea in the teahouse, as if recalling the bloody scrolls, the hidden rivalries within their lines. Finally, he closed his eyes, listening to Jiangnan’s wind and rain, hearing the fierce cries of blades within the wind, murmuring:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not ninety-seven—ninety-six.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Murong Mansion’s weapons are missing one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized the woman had left; he fell silent, then raised his head to gaze at the distant sky:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Sacrifice—no matter what, it cannot fail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the sake of the world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi found the young lady beneath a tree. Jiangnan’s spring rain was fine, so she wasn’t wet—he opened his umbrella to shield her: “The rain’s ending. If we stay out now, Old Master will scold us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you have fun, Young Lady? Shall we go back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao had calmed. She thought a moment, then said: “One last thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shyly pointed at the tree: “I want to climb it and see the view.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guanyi stared, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao said: “Since childhood, only my brother could climb trees. Grandfather always said a lady of a noble house shouldn’t climb trees. I’ve always wanted to see what Jiangnan looks like from the very top.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan smiled and said, “Alright, need my help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao rolled up her sleeves: “Don’t underestimate me. Though I haven’t entered the Foundation Establishment, I’ve made some progress in my family’s Jade Arm Divine Bow Art.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stretched her body, leapt up, planted her right foot on the tree trunk, unleashed her internal Qi, and shot upward five or six feet, then adjusted her breath—just a few steps later, she landed atop the branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl widened her eyes, watching as the rain began to fade over Jiangnan City. Jiangnan’s rain differed from the desert’s and the Central Plains’—fine, endless drizzle, like mist, shrouding the green stone slabs and buildings, beautiful as a painting. But Xue Shuangtao felt that breathing deeply from above was far more exhilarating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan said, “Want to shout?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao replied, “No way—that’s improper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy laughed and shouted loudly, “Who cares about propriety at a time like this? Xue Shuangtao, are you stupid?” His Qi surged, his voice booming, startling birds. The young lady’s eyes widened, then she laughed, cupping her hands to her lips and shouting back, “Li Guan, you’re the big fool!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After shouting several times, she suddenly felt utterly free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After admiring the scenery for a while, Li Guan called for her to come down. “Be careful when you descend—coming down is much harder than going up. I’ll catch you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao said, “I’m a martial cultivator—I’m not afraid!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She leapt down sharply, using the branch for leverage—when suddenly, a spinning top rolled toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A child, about five or six, charged after it without care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the children Li Guan had seen running wild on roads in his past life, children often lacked awareness of danger. The young lady’s Jade Arm Divine Bow Art was unmatched in the martial world—if she collided with him, the child would likely be severely injured by her unleashed Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan stepped forward; Xue Shuangtao immediately altered her internal Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shifted her footing, landed elsewhere, then descended again, avoiding the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy holding the top froze in fear. Li Guan grabbed the little runt, scolded him sternly to prevent future recklessness. The young lady, seeing no harm done, said, “You don’t need to be so harsh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan raised an eyebrow: “Otherwise, this brat will do it again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pinched the child’s nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you do it again, I’ll come to your house at midnight and take your nose—then you’ll have nothing but two holes.” The child turned pale and ran off. Xue Shuangtao burst out laughing: “Why do you act like such a child?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan didn’t care. As they walked back, Xue Shuangtao walked normally at first, but soon Li Guan noticed her frowning, her gait tilting left. He sighed, stopped her, and asked, “Sprained your ankle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You haven’t forged your body yet. High-impact martial arts like this easily injure you—and you changed direction so abruptly… No, I still need to teach that brat a lesson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao laughed and groaned: “Enough, stop fooling around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan said, “This isn’t fooling around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you walk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao hopped once: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullshit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan rolled his eyes, crouched down, and saw her swollen ankle. He turned around. “Get on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan said, “If you walk back, you’ll be stuck in bed for five days.” The girl hesitated, thinking her ankle had already been touched by him—carrying her wouldn’t matter. She gently climbed onto his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan smiled: “So light.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried her along Jiangnan’s misty, rain-drenched path, bought a string of candied haws. The young lady held his shoulder. He walked quickly, then complained about the lack of public transport—how nice it would be to have a public carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He joked all the way; the young lady burst out laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Shuangtao said, “I used to just play the qin and train. Every day felt the same. Today was strange—I think I’ll never forget it, no matter how long I live.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered to herself: “No matter how far ahead, no matter how old I become…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll always smile when I remember today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan carried her through Jiangnan’s narrow alleys, through mist and rain, her laughter beside his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when they returned, everyone from the Xue family froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Laoyezi had heard Li Guan took Xue Shuangtao out to play—he’d laughed heartily. But when he saw them return, his laughter vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eye twitched. He ordered a maid to take the blushing girl away for treatment, then glared fiercely at Li Guan: “You—come here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll hang you up and whip you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan said, “I was happy today, so I let loose. Saw the young lady was down, so I took her out for a walk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Happy? Fine. Tell me—why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man grinned, his expression dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t explain, I’ll make you happy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan smiled faintly, clenched his fists, and slammed them together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound rang like jade striking gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s expression slowly froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guan said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve forged my body.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2496,"2026-06-20T19:20:33.127Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","24afe09764b788f55fae1493a585ffb07b6d0c041a07f85ea8557c2a3e9543ff","the-peace-decree-chapter-81","the-peace-decree-chapter-79",593,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-peace-decree-cover.jpg"]