Chapter 98

Starlight surged brilliantly, jade fluid transformed into qi.

The Bai Hu Fa Xiang's body, even though Li Guanyi had not yet Broken Through the Realm, began swelling again, its radiant light spreading like water, fur growing, claws and fangs sharpening, starlight swirling around it, roaring incessantly.

Li Guanyi sat cross-legged, ripples forming in the air around him; in the void itself, the continuous roar of a tiger could be heard.

Li Guanyi could directly sense the Fa Xiang's power beginning to rise.

Unlike previous transformations—such as when he faced Changsun Wuchou—the fox Fa Xiang had been drained of some yuan qi by the Bai Hu and Chi Long, but it merely swallowed it, digested and absorbed it, then re-ingested it into his body.

This time was different.

This time it was like a river reversing its flow—power of the same origin, surging forth, not only immensely vast but also exquisitely pure.

No need to digest it; it could be used directly.

The transformation began immediately.

"The best power to trigger a Fa Xiang's transformation and ascent is a higher-level Fa Xiang of the same type?"

Li Guanyi realized this.

He immediately discarded the thought, for neither General Yue Qianfeng nor Xue Daoyong's Fa Xiangs had ever given his Fa Xiang such a profound boost.

Then there was only one answer.

"The Bai Hu Da Zong's destiny…"

Li Guanyi grunted.

As the Bai Hu Fa Xiang began its leap and transformation, the jade fluid within Li Guanyi's body also erupted.

The jade fluid within the bronze cauldron rapidly circulated and changed inside him; the boy's sinews, bones, and skin glowed faintly with Jin Yu hues—the aura of the Fifth Heavenly General, even a single thread, was far beyond what a cultivator at his level could possibly dissipate.

Under normal circumstances, this overwhelming aura would have shattered his foundation.

He would have spat blood and collapsed, succumbing to demonic deviation.

But his physical foundation, too, came from a once-unrivaled overlord.

From the hero who wielded his blade and leveled the Western Regions.

Golden skin, jade bones, dragon sinews, tiger marrow.

Li Guanyi forcibly withstood the impact of the jade fluid's transformed yuan qi.

Thus, the tiger's roar echoed in his ears.

This was the power of Yuwen Lie, the contemporary peak of Bai Hu—three hundred years of chaos had forged his strength into something ferocious; beside Li Guanyi, the Bai Hu Fa Xiang raised its head and roared, its body radiating thick, flowing light as it slowly swelled.

And Li Guanyi seemed to see again the crimson-eyed Bai Hu Fa Xiang of the Tuyuhun.

The jade fluid within him transformed into yuan qi, surging like a torrent.

Li Guanyi exhaled and said: "Yuwen Lie…"

Clenching his teeth against the thunderous agony of yuan qi surging through his body, he rose abruptly, assumed a stance in the courtyard, and unleashed punches and kicks—executing the posture of the Hu Xiao Duan Gu Jue; yuan qi raced through his sinews and bones, continuously enhancing his physical strength.

The Bai Hu Fa Xiang leapt beside him, paw descending.

Li Guanyi trained the Hu Xiao Duan Gu Jue for a full hour; his final punch erupted, condensing yuan qi into the shape of a tiger's descending paw, roaring fiercely; the jade fluid within him gradually vanished, leaving him breathing lightly.

The Hu Xiao Duan Gu Jue, though already having reached the initial Overlord realm,

pushed forward just a fraction.

The Jin Yu hue on his skin slowly transformed into pure Bai Yu radiance.

Even though that overlord had once achieved unparalleled feats, he had done so at an extremely high realm—he could not have done what Li Guanyi did: achieving a trace of the pinnacle Heavenly General's aura while still at the First Floor realm.

Some things are only possible at the very beginning of cultivation.

In this state, it was as if the Fifth Heavenly General Yuwen Lie himself had acted.

Willing to exhaust his own Fa Xiang's foundation and origin.

Just to forge and temper Li Guanyi's body.

Li Guanyi clenched his fist and slammed it out—his fist tip shattered the air with a sharp whistle; he spun, lashed out with his right leg, and a stone stele in the courtyard exploded as if struck by an iron mace; Li Guanyi silently sensed his own power, the tiger's roar never ceasing in his ears.

Though only a fraction.

Even merely a tendency.

But this was undeniably the Hu Xiao Duan Gu Jue surpassing the initial Overlord realm.

In the vast annals of history, those who cultivated this art,

He was the first.

The Bai Hu Fa Xiang beside him grew still, then dissolved into starlight; Li Guanyi seemed to sense something—he lifted his head slightly, gazing at the Seven Stars of Bai Hu, feeling the starlight settle upon him, silent and boundless, and he stood alone between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, he felt something.

Almost an instinct.

The starlight of the Seven Stars of Bai Hu favored him more.

If the favor of the Seven Stars of Bai Hu were independent, it would be fine—but if there was a fixed total limit to that favor, then as Li Guanyi gained more, some of it must have departed from Yuwen Lie.

Li Guanyi felt Yuwen Lie must be furious now.

And for this speculation and outcome, Li Guanyi felt delighted.

The boy raised his eyebrows and gave a middle finger toward the palace.

"Unreasonable old bastard!"

He exhaled, his spirit stirred—and with a low roar, a tiger's paw stepped forth, landing on the ground; the fur beneath the Bai Hu's chin trembled; on Li Guanyi's shoulder, the tiger had grown from over a meter tall to a towering ten feet, majestic and solemn.

Standing still beneath the starlight, radiating solemnity.

If the previous Bai Hu Fa Xiang had been the level of a real beast,

Now, the Bai Hu Fa Xiang carried a third of a divine beast's aura.

Previously, the Bai Hu Fa Xiang only transformed when Li Guanyi Broke Through the Realm; when the Chi Long Fa Xiang ascended to Reached Entry, the Bai Hu and Chi Long Fa Xiangs had clashed.

Now, the Bai Hu Fa Xiang's aura and level had reached a higher plane.

Li Guanyi estimated that this transformation should have only been possible after he broke through to the Second Layer Realm, yet it had arrived prematurely due to his standoff with Yuwen Lie, the Divine General of the Realm.

Truly, the vast tide of the world.

Opportunity and danger coexist.

Li Guanyi extended his hand and gently touched the massive Bai Hu manifestation, sensing its power.

He suddenly paused, stepping back half a step, his right hand gripping the sword hilt.

Draw the blade.

As the blade unsheathed, the Bai Hu manifestation dissolved into brilliant Jin Guang, engulfing him.

Then he spun, slashing.

A qi glow surged over the three-hundred-fold forged heavy blade, then, as Li Guanyi swung, this blade aura detached from the weapon, flying like a bird, traveling over a zhang away, slicing across the garden's rockery before slowly fading.

The youth cleanly sheathed the blade, the sword emitting a clear, ringing chime as it slid home.

The summit of the rockery slid sideways, rocks crashing down with a rumble.

Dust spread.

Blade auras and sword qi, piercing bodies to kill enemies at distances exceeding a zhang—over three meters—could strike from such range; such ability had long surpassed ordinary limits.

This was power only a cultivator of the Second Layer Realm possessed, yet Li Guanyi himself had not yet reached the 【Hunyuan】 state; he achieved this only because his Golden Skin and Jade Bones could bear immense manifestation power, and because the Bai Hu manifestation had ascended to a higher level.

He extended both hands, stroking the massive Bai Hu, smiling.

"I never expected you to break through before me."

The Bai Hu manifestation growled softly, lowering its head to nudge the youth.

Li Guanyi saw the Chi Long appear too, but much smaller than the Bai Hu; the Qing Luan bird flapped its wings, gliding above the serene Bai Hu beneath the starlight. Li Guanyi smiled, lifting the blade with its scabbard in his right hand.

His palm lightly brushed the heavy blade; as the Bai Hu Jianbing, he could sense how, when the blade slashed, internal qi surged through it—on the surface, no change appeared, but internally, it had already been damaged.

If he used this technique a few more times, the heavy blade's structure would collapse and snap in half.

Only a weapon from the Jianghu's elite tier could withstand the impact of blade auras and sword qi.

But Xue Lao had said he'd give him a good weapon; the blade itself wasn't important.

Ideally, a battle halberd.

Li Guanyi thought.

Doesn't need to be too high-grade.

Just an elite-tier weapon.

After growing accustomed to long weapons, he'd come to regard swords and knives as secondary arms; whether in power, speed, or range, long weapons far surpassed swords and knives—even blade auras and sword qi, when swept with a halberd, covered greater distance.

Yet most elite weapons circulating in the Jianghu were swords and knives; long weapons were strictly controlled by the court.

It might be difficult.

Li Guanyi re-sheathed his blade, closed his eyes to meditate, suppressing the joy in his heart; this ability had come only because the Bai Hu manifestation broke through early—not because all Four Symbols had advanced—but it was still a great blessing, especially with the Jin Wuwei selection approaching.

"The realm's elite: Chen's Night Gallop Cavalry, Ying's Tiger Barbarian Cavalry, Turkic Iron Futu, Western Regions' Golden Curved Blade Light Cavalry, Brother Yue's Halberd Soldiers, Longxi's Mo Dao Army—all require the Second Layer Realm to join; Jin Wuwei is merely a gilded pillow compared to the Night Gallop Cavalry."

"The truly capable among Chen's martial aristocracy all join the Night Gallop Cavalry."

"Only those lacking martial skill, unwilling to endure hardship, and seeking only to polish their reputations join Jin Wuwei."

"Having the Second Layer Realm would greatly increase my chances…"

Li Guanyi recalled the Bai Hu manifestation's transformation and suddenly wished to meet Master Siming; among those he knew, only Master Siming could see manifestations with his own eyes and understood them better than anyone else.

He needed to ask him about his own changes and the issue with his aunt's manifestation.

But Jiangzhou City was far too vast, and Master Siming wandered like a mortal; Li Guanyi had no idea where to find him, so he merely held his blade, staring at the corner of his wall, idle thoughts drifting through his mind.

I wonder if placing a cup of wine in that corner might lure the old man out.

Of course.

The wine must be watered down.

The youth laughed; the gloom in his heart eased considerably after that slash.

He tossed the blade upward—it landed on the rack inside the room—and strolled forward slowly.

Behind him, the Bai Hu paced.

Sleep!

That night, he slept well; upon waking, he trained alone, practicing fist forms and loosening his body, then went to the Daoist temple to study the *Huang Ji Jing Shi Shu* with Master Zu Wenyuan. This volume was extremely dull; had it not been for learning the Qilin Palace's array diagrams, Li Guanyi would never have endured it.

Now he could only grit his teeth and study.

By day he memorized by rote; upon returning, he studied his secret cheat sheets in private.

Two days passed in calm silence; the only noteworthy event was accompanying Xue Lao to draft documents and submit them to the Ministry of Personnel for the upcoming Jin Wuwei selection—since the Grand Sacrifice was only ten days away, he must join the selection tomorrow.

For some reason, all the martial aristocratic youths in Jingcheng.

This time had chosen 【Jin Wuwei】.

The Ministry of Personnel officials were stunned, marveling at how fervently the martial youths had rallied—something unseen in years. Li Guanyi assumed it was because the Emperor wished to use him as a whetstone; returning home, he told Xue Lao: "Qi Junsong's son is dead—why are they still planning to challenge me?"

Xue Daoyong said: "You're mistaken about our Holy Emperor this time."

"A couple days ago, you told me you met Yuwen Lie—at the banquet, the Emperor asked these foreign envoys to describe Chen's customs and scenery—merely a polite exchange, mutual face-saving."

"Saying pretty words about vast lands and flourishing culture, maintaining a surface harmony."

"But Yuwen Lie said the scenery and mountains he'd seen were inferior to you."

"Hmph—he's made you famous. But now all these nations know Chen has a Li Guanyi. Hmph—when a tree stands tall, the wind will surely break it. This Divine General of the Military School intends to use the Grand Sacrifice's whirlpool to destroy you."

"How could these martial aristocrats' sons bear it? All young men—now, even those who had no prior enmity toward you can't resist testing your mettle."

"Cunning and vicious—yet he turns such treacherous tactics into open strategy."

"No Divine General of the Military School is easy to deal with."

Xue Lao was deeply indignant.

He and Li Guanyi returned to Li Guanyi's courtyard, where the old man saw the shattered rockery and burst into loud laughter, clapping Li Guanyi on the shoulder: "You, you—always so calm and composed, yet you still have fire in you? Angered by Yuwen Lie, you actually smashed this rockery to vent your rage?"

"You're nowhere near as level-headed as I am."

The old man was quite pleased.

He immediately ordered tea and snacks brought, saying: "Today, you and I will drink some tea. By the way, I'm genuinely curious—why does Yuwen Lie target you so fiercely?" He looked at Li Guanyi and whispered: "If it's the White Tiger Manifestation you seek, I too possess the White Tiger Manifestation. If it's youthful brilliance, the world is full of them."

"He is a divine general who has achieved feats of national destruction, yet at only thirty, he ranks among the top ten in the land, commands a hundred thousand troops, masters all four branches of military arts—yin-yang, terrain, strategy, and tactics. He's not merely a youthful prodigy; even a true genius is barely worthy to stand before him."

"My Xue family knows some inside truths. Some already believe Yuwen Lie, this young, tyrannical general who has toppled nations and razed cities, is a Bai Hu Da Zong like my ancestor, the Eight-Hundred-Year Tyrant—though brutal, he ought to possess tolerance. Even the most arrogant and fierce soldiers wouldn't kill you on the spot."

"Guanyi, why?"

Li Guanyi looked at Xue Daoyong.

He knew.

Only the old man fully understood Yuwen Lie's hostility toward him.

Only the old man could be properly prepared.

After finishing his tea, Li Guanyi made his decision. He rose, drew his blade, and said:

"Let me demonstrate for you, Xue Lao."

The blade hummed in its scabbard. Li Guanyi drew it—on the three-hundred-fold forged blade, cracks appeared, then were swiftly filled with golden radiance. Finally, the boy slashed downward; the blade's light blazed brilliantly, cleaving the last remnants of the rockery.

The old man's hand froze mid-teacup.

Li Guanyi withdrew his hand; the blade shattered and fell downward.

Xue Daoyong stared at the flying blade-light, his body stiff—but he had anticipated this.

His earlier rapid breakthrough had prepared Xue Daoyong for Li Guanyi's advancement.

Though this surpassed his expectations, he managed to steady his composure: "You… reached the Second Realm? Such speed is astonishing, yet it still shouldn't make him…"

Li Guanyi sat down, placing the hilt beside him.

The qi around him condensed into the White Tiger Manifestation, its fierce aura spilling outward.

The wind stirred; a tiger's roar seemed to echo through empty space.

The boy sat before the tea table, his temple hairs slightly lifted, gazing at the old man.

He spoke softly—but his words shattered the old man's entire worldview.

Li Guanyi said:

"What if I told you…"

"I am the Bai Hu Da Zong?"

"？！！！"

Xue Daoyong snapped his head up to stare at him.

His expression froze.

PS: 【152】 Today the editor told me, scratching my head—this book's title is too bloody and ominous. We need to change it. After thinking it over, since the plot has reached this point, let's rename it "Tai Ping Ling"—call upon the world to die, so the world may find peace, tranquility.

Today the editor chatted with me, scratched my head, said the title of this book has too heavy a killing aura and vicious energy, needs to be changed. I thought about it, and just as the plot reached this point, I'll change it to "Tai Ping Ling" — asking all under heaven to go to their deaths, seeking peace under heaven, peacefully.