Chapter 84: Dragon-Tiger Body

Li Guanyi sat cross-legged, yet qi erupted from his shoulders—undoubtedly a trait exclusive to the Meridian Unblocking stage, where power reaches the entire body, allowing one to kill and break through even with hands and feet bound; yet Li Guanyi had only just learned the method of condensing qi.

How could it be so fast?

Yue Qianfeng was stunned, yet he knew exactly what to do—he surrounded Li Guanyi’s internal organs with a vast torrent of internal qi to prevent the chaotic energy from striking his five viscera and six bowels. For a full hour, Li Guanyi’s breath only then stabilized.

A misstep…

Li Guanyi, rarely overcome by fear, broke into a cold sweat on his forehead.

Previously, the White Tiger and Red Dragon phantoms had coexisted harmoniously; Li Guanyi had not anticipated that once both reached the realm of entry, a fierce struggle would erupt between them.

Metal and fire are inherently incompatible.

The Jade Arm Divine Bow Art, attuned to the White Tiger phantom’s power.

Li Guanyi had borrowed Yue Qianfeng’s Red Dragon phantom to rapidly master the Tai Ping Book.

The two qi currents collided.

Had Yue Qianfeng not been beside him, Li Guanyi believed he would have been backlashed—his organs shattered. Both phantoms, Dragon and Tiger, now rose around him, glaring at each other, each vying to become Li Guanyi’s primary cultivation body, neither willing to yield.

This is Dragon and Tiger—metal and fire.

It is the contradiction inherent in power itself.

Li Guanyi forcibly found a balance point between the two forces, allowing the Dragon and Tiger qi to circulate without colliding or tearing apart, and only then did he relax. Yue Qianfeng, still seated cross-legged, withdrew his hand once he saw Li Guanyi awake.

Yue Qianfeng did not ask what had happened, only laughed loudly: “Awake now?”

“Don’t thank me—that thing was useless. Give me something real.”

“Old brother sat here guarding you for over an hour—my belly’s empty again.”

In the courtyard’s kitchen, Li Guanyi set up a pot on the stove, filling it with scallions, chili peppers, and other ingredients to simmer a base broth; then, with a swift blade, he sliced thin pieces of mutton he’d obtained from the Xue family’s cook, mixing peanut and sesame paste, melting them in oil.

A simple, convenient hotpot pleased Yue Qianfeng immensely. Seeing Li Guanyi was unharmed, he said:

“Brother, old brother says something unpleasant—you must remember it.”

“In future cultivation, don’t rush so fiercely. I know you’ve had some extraordinary encounter, but such reckless speed—causing your internal qi to go berserk—is truly dangerous. Today, I was beside you, suppressing it, allowing your runaway qi to burst open your meridians.”

“You forcibly advanced from Qi Condensation to Meridian Unblocking.”

“Though dangerous, it’s not entirely bad.”

“But what if I hadn’t been here?”

Yue Qianfeng, unusually grave, said: “You’re only thirteen or fourteen… right?”

Li Guanyi replied: “Ten days or so until my fourteenth birthday.”

Yue Qianfeng nodded: “Then in another year, you could marry.”

In these chaotic times, the states lack able-bodied men; the age for marriage keeps advancing earlier.

Yue Qianfeng said: “If you can marry, you’re no longer a child.”

“But remember: going berserk is no trivial matter.”

“Chaotic internal qi doesn’t just surge through meridians—it can erupt from your five viscera and six bowels. Your skin will split, blood will pour from your seven orifices. Worse still, you might explode from within, turning into a bloody mass. In the Western Regions’ demonic sects, among the Turkic tribes and the powers between them, similar methods exist.”

“When I fought them, I once faced a group of warriors who deliberately cultivated methods to go berserk—when they couldn’t win, they’d rush in, grab you, and let their internal qi detonate, blowing themselves apart. Many of my brothers died that way.”

“Heavenly Demon Disintegration, Great Liberation Transformation—these demonic arts are deliberate berserk techniques.”

“Disregarding your body’s capacity, seeking only rapid realm advancement, brings countless aftereffects.”

“Brother, remember: no matter what extraordinary encounter you have, it all boils down to this—your art can be mastered quickly, your qi can be forced into your dantian; there are seven or eight ways to rapidly ascend. But your body’s refinement, your meridians’ adaptation to internal qi—these require time, slow, grinding work.”

He extended a finger, pointing to Li Guanyi’s arm, then to his dantian:

“The body gradually adapts to internal power. Without this step, it’s like a child swinging a heavy hammer.”

“You’ll hurt yourself.”

“Unless you cultivate the [Golden Muscle, Jade Bone, Dragon Tendons, Tiger Marrow] physique—then it doesn’t matter. Internal qi flows like a river, skin impervious to blades and swords, capacity and adaptation to power utterly terrifying. But cultivating such a physique requires ten years just to enter the threshold.”

Li Guanyi knew Yue Qianfeng cared for him. He accepted the advice, bowing deeply in solemn thanks.

He poured wine for Yue Qianfeng.

Yue Qianfeng tipped his head back and drank without ceremony, a thousand cups without drunkenness.

Li Guanyi asked: “Where will you go after this, Brother Yue?”

Yue Qianfeng replied: “In a month, the Jiangzhou Grand Rite—I’m going to Jiangzhou City. I heard that the stunningly beautiful sword immortal from Luzhou will come too. Hmph! Last time, I was unprepared—her piercing sword qi shattered my cultivation body. Now my wounds have nearly healed; I’ll face her again!”

Jiangzhou City will soon become a nexus of turmoil. If you want to save Marshal Yue, this is your final chance. Even a transcendent Confucian like Dan Tai Xianming, whose qi surges to the heavens, cannot act here—or rather, precisely because he has reached the Pacifying the World realm.

“He cannot act now.”

“We must not let the Tai Ping Duke’s fate repeat.”

Li Guanyi frowned: “A Confucian who has reached Pacifying the World—would he send assassins?”

Yue Qianfeng sighed: “He’s the same age as the Xue family’s tiger.”

“He has long since acted according to his heart without transgressing propriety.”

“Across the land, divine generals roam the four corners. Outside the martial world and court, beyond those four legendary figures whose whereabouts are unknown, there are only the Ten Contemporary Masters. Among them, the Sword Madman leads.”

“But the Hundred Schools are not divine generals, nor do they enter the martial world. Dan Tai Xianming is already a Grand Confucian of the Confucian school. If he entered the Xuegong, the Confucian Sect Master’s seat would not be beyond contention.”

“The Hundred Schools? The Xuegong?”

Li Guanyi felt the world growing ever vaster, its powers entangled.

Yue Qianfeng said: “Yes. You know. Everyone knows.”

“The Great Emperor in the Central Plains is now a puppet. He lacks the courage and boldness of his ancestors, who rose from the wilds, drew their swords, and roamed the heavens. The Chi Xiao Sword, once wielded by the Red Emperor eight hundred years ago, sits in the Taihe Hall—no one can lift it again.”

“Yet the Red Emperor’s lingering aura remains fierce.”

“He was the one who defeated the hegemon and ascended to the peak.”

“The realm he forged still glows with eight centuries of glory. The Xuegong still stands in the Central Plains.”

“Two primordial Daoists of the Dao School. One living Buddha of the Central Lands.”

“The Confucian Gong Yang Su Wang.”

“The First Grand Master of the Mohist School.”

“The Yin-Yang School’s Zhong Tian Bei Ji.”

“These six sect masters do not enter the world’s great currents or the martial world. They merely preserve their teachings—all rooted in the Central Plains. Some say their entry into the world signals true chaos, that even the Hundred Schools will be drawn in, and when the people’s hearts are thrown into turmoil, that is true chaos.”

“Others say they remain in the Central Plains to preserve the last dignity of the Red Emperor’s lineage.”

“If they leave, the Central Plains’ emperor won’t live a month.”

Yue Qianfeng wiped the strong liquor from his lips, stood, and said: “But the freedom of these outsiders has nothing to do with our bloodshed. Seeing you’re unharmed today, I must go. If I survive Jiangzhou City, I’ll come back to drink with you.”

“Lu Youxian’s wooden head finally woke up—I don’t want to fight him.”

“I must sneak into the city.”

“Who told him I was coming?”

Li Guanyi hesitated, then said: “I know who did it.”

Yue Qianfeng cursed: “Who? I’ll squeeze the piss out of him!”

Li Guanyi silently stepped half a pace back.

Yue Qianfeng seemed to guess something, fixed his gaze on Li Guanyi, his expression strange:

“You?”

Li Guanyi grinned slightly: “I couldn’t lie to you, Brother. It was me. But I didn’t think you’d actually come.” He explained everything to Yue Qianfeng, who didn’t grow angry—only burst into loud laughter:

“Hahahaha! No choice now—you said it, old brother has to accept defeat.”

“But this shows Lu Youxian’s rigid mind was merely standard defense—he didn’t believe your intel. He strengthened guard only because he’s cautious by nature: on matters of great importance, he always believes it possible, never dismisses it as impossible.”

“You’ve become a seventh-rank martial officer. Before I leave today, I’ll give you a gift.”

Li Guanyi was puzzled.

Yue Qianfeng grinned, but said nothing.

That day, as he tried to stabilize his cultivation body, he heard Zhao Da Bing mention news from the city.

It was said Yue Qianfeng had directly smashed into the city gate, then cursed Lu Youxian for being prepared, before leaving. Lu Youxian held his ground with no significant losses. Thus, Li Guanyi was rewarded today with one merit point and a hundred taels of silver.

Li Guanyi stared, dumbfounded, torn between laughter and tears.

Then he resumed cultivation.

He breathed and exhaled; his meridians were open, qi could erupt from any part of his body. But now Li Guanyi faced a grave problem—

The White Tiger and Red Dragon phantoms faced each other in standoff.

They despised each other.

Though their qi no longer surged chaotically to harm him, he could not yet control either phantom or summon their qi. When he tried to activate the White Tiger’s qi, the Red Dragon would erupt—and vice versa—each time shattering the fragile balance he’d painstakingly achieved.

Losing balance between the two phantoms was not inherently bad.

As one waned, the other waxed—like yin and yang—they would eventually reach a new equilibrium.

But Li Guanyi’s body, though forged, could not endure the constant turmoil of two opposing qi currents.

Before these two phantoms reached a new balance—

His flesh would be torn apart.

He felt like a glass cannon. Those who manifest one phantom are already exceptional talents of their age. Two phantoms—especially two peerless ones locked in mutual defiance—had never existed in history. His path must be walked step by step alone.

This unique Dragon-Tiger standoff cultivation body was now utterly useless.

He sat there, one hand propping his chin.

“I’ll have to wait for Master Siming. Brother Yue said that with Golden Muscle, Jade Bone, I could use the body freely—then perhaps both Dragon and Tiger qi could be activated simultaneously, their power far exceeding what it is now.”

Li Guanyi gripped his halberd, pondering what lay ahead.

His internal qi was still violent—he needed to dispel its fury, and find an opportunity to examine his aunt’s meridians.

The Tiger Roar Bone Forging Decree must be fully activated.

Remove the internal poison.

And…

Xue Shen’s Secret Realm.

Qi condensation is complete. Juan Tao can be used now.

Time to use Juan Tao to brutally beat Xue Shen!

With my strength improved and the ultimate technique available, can’t I finally extract something valuable from Xue Shen’s Secret Realm?

Li Guanyi was eager to try.

……………………

On the second afternoon, the grand prison of Guanyi City welcomed a guest of great weight.

Qi Junsong, a Fourth-Rank General of the Chen State.

He came to visit his son, carrying an elegant food box filled with his son’s favorite dishes. Qi Langxian’s legs had been broken; he complained to his father, ate heartily, drank wine, and wore a face of pleading and pitiful hope, begging for his father’s pity.

Qi Junsong watched his son in silence, speaking of family matters.

He spoke of his mother, of how his sister was doing.

Qi Langxian’s face relaxed slightly.

After finishing the meal above, he smiled and said: “Father, what you placed in the lower compartment must be Mother’s homemade Xiao Shan Su—I love it most. Whenever you return from the border with Western spices, Mother always makes it for us; every meal is incomplete without it…”

He opened the hidden compartment of the food box—and inside was a short sword.

Qi Langxian’s smile froze.

Qi Junsong whispered: “The Xue family’s tiger sent a painting.”

Qi Langxian opened his mouth, panicked: “Father, I’m your son! You can’t do this!”

Qi Junsong closed his eyes and said:

“Yesterday, Yue Qianfeng truly attacked the city.”

Truly attacked the city?!

How could this be such a coincidence?

How could it…

Qi Langxian’s expression collapsed into utter despair. He stared at the dagger, his eyes filled with panic, fear, madness. Finally, he looked up at his father—calm as a pine—and opened his mouth: “Father…”

Qi Junsong gave no reply.

Qi Langxian opened his mouth, then let out a bitter laugh. His hand trembled as he picked up the short sword, and suddenly said:

“The family raised me. Today, I brought disaster upon the family. I deserve to die—to protect the family.”

“Father, after I’m gone…”

“Burn all the books and paintings in my room for me. Don’t give them to my elder brother or third brother, or my two personal maids.”

“I’ve taken them. I truly love them. They’ve been with me since childhood—I used to rest my head on their legs in summer, they fanned away mosquitoes all night. They truly loved me. But after I’m gone, my elder brother will want them.”

Qi Langxian drew a deep breath, his eyes filled with malice:

“Father, kill them!”

“Bury them with me.”

“My women belong to me alone—for life.”

Qi Junsong agreed and left. Qi Langxian banged on the bars, shouting for the jailers to bring water. They grudgingly brought it. Qi Langxian threw the remaining meat to the other prisoners, watching the starving inmates scramble for it, laughing with contempt.

A prisoner said: “You’re a prisoner too. What are you pretending to be?”

Qi Langxian sneered, washed his face with water, and adjusted his hairpin.

His trembling hand raised the short sword to his neck, eyes blazing as he stared outward:

“You mud-footed peasants don’t understand me!”

“I am a scion of a noble house!”

“Isn’t it natural for our aristocratic clans to stand above you?”

“How could I die like you?!”

Suddenly he shoved forward—the blade severed his throat. He did not fear death; he killed himself. His eyes remained wide open. Qi Junsong’s eyes grew faintly red, yet his heart remained still. He looked up at the sky, seeking Dan Tai Xianming, weeping bitterly as he declared his son had chosen to die for the noble houses, for the high officials.

The struggle between noble clans and imperial relatives grew ever sharper.

The sword immortals of the martial world, along with Yue Qianfeng, entered Jiangzhou City before the nobles of all nations arrived, swelling the vortex ever larger. The stars shone as brightly as ever; the stream murmured softly. The girl with silver hair quietly lit a bonfire and knelt before it.

A stick was stuck into a steamed bun, the other end planted into the earth.

Stones were pressed down to secure it.

The girl showed no expression—perhaps because the bonfire’s glow reflected in her eyes.

Thus, her gaze burned brightly.

This time, Yaoguang did not consult the ancient star-reading scrolls.

She began attempting to use star-reading techniques to master the art of not burning her bun.

The girl performed the Star Gazing Art, weaving the ancient incantation.

【May the light of the stars and the will of heaven bring me delicious food.】

To ensure her bun would not burn.

But the bonfire clearly wielded far greater power than starlight.

She stared at the charred bun, holding it in both hands, seemingly bewildered, lost in thought—had the incantation failed?

She thought for a moment.

Then spun around and bit into the other end.

Crunch.

Suddenly, laughter rang out.

Yaoguang looked up and turned.

Sitting atop the wall—the cliff face—was a boy, cloaked in starlight.

Li Guanyi waved and smiled: “Yaoguang.”

“I’ve come to find you.”