Ten years ago, when the Duke of Peace met his demise, it was also the time when Li Guanyi and his aunt, Murong Qiushui, began their flight.
Thirteen years prior was when Li Guanyi was born.
These two points in time were crucial. Li Guanyi looked at these two points, combining what his aunt had said about being cautious of the Chen Kingdom's royal family. The outcome seemed to be guessable, yet it remained unclear. Li Guanyi gently brushed over the two lines of text.
Was he the child of the emperor who abdicated the throne to the regent?
Was he being hunted due to the legal implications of inheriting the throne?
Or was it related to the regent?
The offspring of the regent's faction, thus not tolerated by the current Chen court.
Or perhaps, he was a descendant of the Duke of Peace.
Because of his great achievements that overshadowed the ruler, the Duke of Peace encountered misfortune ten years ago, and afterward, he delayed the pursuers, allowing his aunt to take him away.
All three possibilities were valid.
However, combining the words of the Mo family assassin mentioning the regent, Li Guanyi could ascertain that he and his aunt were being hunted inextricably linked to the regent. The number ten years likely also had countless connections to the Duke of Peace.
Li Guanyi held the books tightly and stood up to leave.
He wanted to ask his aunt, so he stood at the door of Murong Qiushui's room, raised his hand, and knocked. There was no response from within; instead, the door slightly opened with the knock. His aunt had raised him since childhood, like a sister and a mother, and had no guard against him.
Li Guanyi saw Murong Qiushui sleeping on her side.
Calming down, Li Guanyi felt that he had been affected by his so-called background. He saw his aunt sleeping peacefully, dressed in her inner garments, the quilt kicked aside. He sighed, feeling helpless toward his only relative, who was like a sister and mother to him. He walked in and covered Murong Qiushui with the quilt.
"At your age, you still need me, a younger one, to take care of you."
Li Guanyi murmured softly.
Murong Qiushui was soundly asleep.
In his youth, his aunt had taken care of him, but now, when her old ailments flared up, it was his turn to care for her.
Li Guanyi stood before Murong Qiushui, looking at the scroll in his hand. She slept quietly, her breathing steady. The young man initially wanted to use the information he had to ask a few probing questions, but at this moment, he suddenly felt there was no need to inquire further. Li Guanyi's expression softened.
He found it amusing that he had been so fixated on these matters.
What did it matter if he was a descendant of the Duke of Peace? What did it matter if he was a child of the former royal family?
Even if he were a descendant of the regent, it was no big deal!
He was Li Guanyi.
In this chaotic world, it was his aunt who had led him to survive. Without her, Li Guanyi would have long been turned to meat paste under the iron hooves of the Night Rider Cavalry. That child of nobility had already perished in the turmoil ten years ago.
The Li Guanyi saved by Murong Qiushui was simply Li Guanyi.
Regardless of his origins, as long as he had even the slightest connection to those three, he would not be tolerated by the Chen royal family. Given the current state of the world, as long as he did not stand out, the emperor of Chen would have no interest in dealing with him, a child who could no longer stir up trouble.
As long as he understood this, it was enough.
The identities of the past should not affect his life. Everyone has their own understanding of who they are. Li Guanyi placed the scroll on the table and sighed, saying, "So that's how it is."
"I have been influenced. It doesn't matter whose son I am."
"Having received kindness is hard to repay; I do not intend to enter the Chen court. Right now, all I have is the kindness to repay."
"Li Guanyi is just my aunt's nephew."
The young man spoke softly to himself, lightening his footsteps as he left. Murong Qiushui lay on her side, eyes closed, but Li Guanyi put down his so-called obsession and tossed the scrolls, those wild histories and records of scholars, out, letting them flutter down onto his bed.
The young man pressed his hand against the knife at his waist, his expression tranquil.
Later, the historians would exert all their efforts to fabricate various extraordinary tales about this lonely and impoverished youth.
Yet for this scene, they would only record it honestly.
They would say that on the day he learned of his past identity, the still struggling youth wielded his sword to sever the documents of his past, unbound by the past, exhibiting the demeanor of a hero, akin to the emperor who wielded his sword to slay the white serpent and seize the world eight hundred years ago.
But Li Guanyi would honestly say that at that moment, he merely felt he had painstakingly found some trivial things, which made him somewhat annoyed, and thus he tossed them away.
The scrolls were not shattered.
Those were the Xue family's collection; if they were broken, the old man would surely scold him. He might have to copy the books himself, and with so many characters, it would likely leave his wrist sore.
"That day I realized I didn't need to seek these things; my aunt didn't care."
"Hiding the past was to prevent the flames of revenge from rising in my heart."
"If she had desired me to seek revenge, I would have known who my father was from a young age, known my enemies. I would have practiced swordsmanship every day instead of playing the lute, and I wouldn't have spent my days running around in tattered straw sandals, carrying a wooden stick."
"There wouldn't have been arguments over who bought the roast goose."
"I would have become a flame in this chaotic world, soaring across the land, only to be extinguished quickly."
"Turning into pale ashes, scattered by the wind, leaving nothing behind."
"Perhaps my aunt initially had thoughts of instilling hatred in me, but ultimately she gave up. No matter what this chaotic world was like, in her eyes, I would always be that child in her arms, listening to her hum the lullabies a mother would sing for her child."
The Grand Historian smiled bitterly for a long time and said:
"Such words, such titles, can they be passed down to future generations?"
The man at that time asked, "What do you think?"
The Grand Historian pondered for a moment before replying, "Naive and immature."
"Not like the mindset of a conqueror."
Thus the man replied with a smile, "Since it is a rare childlike sentiment, please write it down for me, let it be passed down, and let the heroes and kings of future generations laugh at me."
And now.
Li Guanyi's desire for power grew stronger.
"Strength..."
Li Guanyi couldn't sleep, casually picked up a wooden stick, and walked into the moonlight, gripping the stick and unleashing the Xue family's war spear. A single-handed wooden stick was wielded with great vigor.
The Extreme Martial Spear of General Xue was easily brought to its peak. Even in this courtyard, wielding a weapon made of a stick still revealed a decisive killing intent. As the techniques of the war spear reached their zenith, the move "Rolling Waves" was about to be unleashed.
The internal qi of the Breaking Array Tune surged and exploded around him.
Li Guanyi stepped forward half a step.
In the void, it seemed as if the roar of a tiger echoed.
With a flick of his wrist, the long stick swept upward like a war spear, slightly rotating, carrying the momentum of a storm, as if to release all the pent-up frustration within him!
"Rolling Waves!"
The move suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
The motion was mastered and could be executed perfectly.
However, the internal qi of the Breaking Array Tune had reached its limit, and it was insufficient to unleash the internal changes of this move.
Even so, it was already extraordinary. The end of the stick trembled strangely, and ultimately, during this swing, it shattered from top to bottom.
The splintered wooden stick embedded itself into the wall, turning into powder.
Li Guanyi's right hand trembled slightly at the tiger's mouth.
"This move consumes too much..."
He grimaced, feeling pain in his right arm.
His body couldn't withstand it; the internal qi was exhausted, and the wooden stick was broken. The burden of this move was absurdly heavy. One could imagine what kind of spectacle would arise from executing such a move; even ordinary entry-level techniques would struggle to support frequent use of Rolling Waves.
Crushing Mountains and Rolling Waves were martial arts of similar realms.
Even the Divine Spear Crushing Mountains couldn't be used.
Li Guanyi sat cross-legged, rubbing his arm, deep in thought.
"Tomorrow, or the day after, I will go to the old man to collect armor and weapons."
"Then I will learn entry-level techniques, and afterward, I will be able to use Rolling Waves."
"The techniques after entering should be sufficient."
After that, he would find Yaoguang and attempt to challenge the secret realm of General Xue together. He would need to wear armor to gain an advantage, hmm—
And Yue Qianfeng.
The Crimson Dragon Jade Liquid enhancement should allow him to quickly master an entry-level technique.
Yue Qianfeng had left; he didn't know when he would return or what changes would occur.
Li Guanyi pondered, ultimately arriving at a conclusion: regardless of his background, power was everything. He knew that if his identity were exposed, the emperor of Chen would likely find him a nuisance. He might not care, or he might casually dispose of him. It was better to enhance his strength and quickly blend in.
The thirty-six strategies suggest retreat as the best strategy.
Li Guanyi had indulged in wild thoughts for quite a while today, sleeping late. On his way back, he slowed his pace, worried about waking his aunt.
The next day, he was awakened by the enticing aroma of food.
Li Guanyi groggily opened his eyes and, upon coming out, saw the dishes on the table. Murong Qiushui had rarely cooked herself, smiling as she pointed to the dishes in front of him, saying, "Go wash up."
After washing up, while having breakfast with his aunt, Li Guanyi noticed that the table was filled with his favorite dishes. Murong Qiushui was evidently in a good mood. As he added a helping of food, a thought suddenly arose in his mind:
"You didn't sleep last night, did you?"
Murong Qiushui blinked, the corners of her mouth curling up into a smile.
"Hmm? What is the little one saying?"
"Aunt, you don't understand."
Murong Qiushui's smile was warm.
Li Guanyi suddenly understood everything.
She must have been awake!
The young man's lips twitched, and under the woman's smile, a wave of mortification surged within him.
He hurriedly shoveled down a couple of bites and, amidst her laughter, fled in a panic to the Xue family.
Today he was to collect weapons and official attire. The blacksmith rarely offered advice: "The master said you would use spear techniques, but the war spear is too long. That kind of weapon needs to be registered. It's better to forget it. If you're collecting armor, just take a hand spear. I can modify it for you."
"A hand spear is quite good."
When Li Guanyi returned with his items, the blacksmith was waiting at the door. He took the hand spear, weighed it, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Seventeen or eighteen pounds, single crescent blade, the balance is good, and the strength is right. Just wait a moment."
"I'll have it ready for you in half a month."
Beside him, Xue Daoyong asked, "Is that necessary?"
The blacksmith glanced at his master and sighed, "Alright, ten days."
The old man raised an eyebrow, "Hmm?"
The blacksmith sighed again and said to Li Guanyi, "Fine, tomorrow."
"Tomorrow I will give it to you."
Once the words were spoken, there was no turning back. The next day, while Li Guanyi was practicing, the blacksmith, sporting dark circles under his eyes, came to him, handing over a package, saying, "It's done."
The blade of the war spear had additional blood grooves, and the tail end had been modified. Inside the package was also a long stick made of ebony.
It was flexible yet sturdy.
Both the tail end of the hand spear and the head of the wooden stick had mechanisms.
The blacksmith demonstrated, saying, "Try it out; when combined, it becomes a war spear."
Li Guanyi combined the hand spear and the long stick, and with a crisp sound, a war spear appeared in his hand, the ebony handle and the fierce spearhead. The blacksmith nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, it was worth my sleepless night."
"Your cultivation has just entered the realm; this wooden stick has enough flexibility to use techniques to dissipate force. Although a pure gold war spear has heavy lethality when swung, the tiger's mouth won't hold up for long before it shatters."
Li Guanyi stepped forward, wielding the war spear to demonstrate martial arts. He didn't use the Xue family's techniques but rather the basic moves, yet he felt a sense of ease. The war spear exuded the aura and pressure of heavy weaponry, yet it also had extremely intricate techniques, perfectly suited to Li Guanyi's current height and arm length.
Li Guanyi felt that with a flick of his wrist, he could unleash the power of Rolling Waves without destroying the weapon. Unfortunately, while the weapon was sufficient, his strength was still lacking. At this moment, Li Guanyi yearned to attain entry-level internal power and truly unleash Rolling Waves!
The blacksmith smiled slightly, "Not bad, right?"
Li Guanyi suddenly remembered something and said, "What about the modification fee..."
The blacksmith took a sip of tea from a large cup and casually replied, "Two thousand guan."
Li Guanyi's mouth twitched.
The blacksmith looked at him in confusion, saying, "It's all under the young lady's name, so why are you in a hurry?"
Li Guanyi was left speechless, "It's not all under the young lady's name."
The blacksmith asked, "Are you going to pay?"
Li Guanyi had no retort.
Just as he was pondering how to respond, Xue Daoyong's voice called out, "Guanyi, Shuangtao, come here."
The old man smiled, "Follow me to choose an entry-level technique."
Li Guanyi's eyes brightened.
Finally, it was time to select an entry-level technique. After practicing the entry-level technique, he would have the chance to use Rolling Waves. His palm trembled, and the hand spear and wooden stick separated, both being stowed in his weapon pouch, then he strode forward, feeling quite expectant.
The secret vault of the Xue family.
How many techniques could he learn, and how many extraordinary martial arts would there be?
………………
Meanwhile.
Changsun Wuchou received the first letter.
Upon opening it, the text was concise:
"This person should not be dead."
"Proceed with caution."
"Your Highness should seek him quickly."
Changsun Wuchou sighed, calculating the time. This should be the second letter received after the second young lady had given her response and judgment. He couldn't help but admire the second young lady's keen insight.
In the Ying Kingdom, outside the city of Guan Yi, within the Duke's residence.
The second young lady, possessing the grace of a dragon and phoenix, gazed at the golden-feathered eagle in the sky. After reading Changsun Wuchou's second letter, she smiled even before opening it, saying, "Such a quick second letter must indicate a change; this person must be alive."
"I guessed correctly."
A younger girl beside her asked, "Sister, how did you know?"
The girl with the golden crown replied, "What should you call me outside?"
The younger girl was taken aback, then blinked and said, "Second Brother."
The girl smiled and nodded, unfolding the letter to explain, "Since this person has the insight to see through the changes in the Western Regions, he wouldn't fail to perceive the competition in Guan Yi City. Since he has charged out, he must have some assurance; it wouldn't be so easy for him to die."
"Second Brother trusts him a lot."
The girl slightly raised her gaze and smiled, "Wrong."
"I trust myself!"
As she unfolded the letter, it indeed confirmed her suspicions.
But then the subsequent events left her momentarily stunned.
A single person had emerged from the formation, killing seven entry-level martial artists?
Riding a horse to kill, dismounting to write poetry, her gaze shifted slightly to see the poem, and the smile on her face faded. After a long while, she softly recited:
"Ten years sharpening a sword, the frost blade has never been tested."
"Today I present it to you."
"Who has grievances?"
"Who has grievances..."
(End of this chapter)