The old man was lost in thought, staring at the royal seal of the Tuyuhun, once one of the four great powers of the world. For a moment, he didn’t even respond to Li Guanyi’s question, instead beginning to doubt his own Yin-Yang Divination technique. Did he really see it correctly?
In his youth, he had achievements that could topple nations.
Could that not match the brilliance of the White Tiger's Seven Constellations?
Was it that those favored by the White Tiger's Seven Constellations were indeed stronger?
Or was it that the true master of the stars was the one who, with a domineering stance, gathered the starlight of the Four Symbols for himself?
Such thoughts arose in the old man's heart, and then they began to argue with each other. The two schools of Star Observation and Qi Divination saw the world's feedback, and only true sages could glimpse a corner of the future from the myriad changes observed.
Li Guanyi said, “Is this royal seal not enough?”
The old man returned to reality.
He grimaced, clutching his chest, leaning against the wall of the Xue family, and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. Suddenly, he took deep breaths, raised his head, and without targeting anyone in particular, he vented his frustrations with a string of curses before calming down. Finally, he reached out and grasped the seal, feeling the flow of Yin and Yang energies.
That aura of kingship was sealed away, and the old man breathed a sigh of relief, saying:
“Nonsense, of course it is!”
“With this thing as assistance, you will be able to refine special items.”
“The royal seal of the Western Region’s overlord, you, you, sigh…”
Li Guanyi could tell that the old man's description had shifted from “can share a piece of the pie” to “refine special items,” indicating a clear qualitative improvement. He asked, “What can be refined?”
The old man lifted the royal seal and said, “Do you know about the body forging of martial artists entering the realm?”
“Upon entering the realm, they forge their bodies, condense their qi, and open their meridians.”
“Ultimately, it is about martial artists forging themselves. Body forging allows them to carry a sufficiently strong aura, condensing qi makes their aura more refined, just like turning iron ore into weapons. Opening meridians allows the flow of qi to become smoother, enabling them to unleash killing intent in any direction.”
The old man cursed:
“Rude martial artists, the three major thresholds after entering the realm are all for better killing.”
Li Guanyi could roughly guess that the other sects were definitely not following the same path as these three major thresholds.
The old man continued, “Once all three are passed, it leads to the Second Floor.”
“After the Second Floor, martial artists are actually practicing the changes in their qi. Through corresponding training, upon reaching the Third Floor, they can condense qi into weapons. But does condensing qi into weapons necessarily make them stronger than martial artists who have refined their bodies on the Second Floor?”
Li Guanyi replied, “Not necessarily.”
The old man nodded:
“It's only to say that the method of condensing qi into weapons can increase a martial artist's lethality more quickly.”
“At this point, body forging, condensing qi, and opening meridians yield very low returns compared to refining the changes in qi. Even if one endures ten years of hard training to make their body tougher and their qi more refined several times over, their opponent may have already reached the Third Floor.”
“Condensing qi into weapons is more agile than your techniques; condensing qi into armor is tougher than flesh and blood, and they still cannot match them.”
Li Guanyi nodded, indicating his understanding.
The old man stared at the royal seal and softly said, “Martial artists feel that tempering the body is inefficient for killing.”
“But in Buddhism and Daoism, there are many practitioners who do not pursue killing. They focus on tempering their own bodies, and within this arduous training, they find inner peace in every punch and kick.”
“They only refine their bodies and persist until the end of their lives.”
“About seventeen hundred years ago, when a prince broke through the Daoist gates, the sword immortals who practiced refining qi were not their opponents. Yet, a Daoist sweeping the courtyard could remain unscathed, even as arrows fell like rain; he did not perish, and the world came to know of such a path of cultivation.”
“Body tempering became a trend at that time.”
“That path, in its later stages, became immensely powerful. Their inner qi and weapons could hardly harm them. They did not possess the means of high-level martial artists, who could gather qi like an ocean and condense it into dragons, but such means were as fragile as clay sculptures before them.”
“Subsequently, many talented individuals from various sects abandoned martial arts.”
“In the Second Realm, Third Floor, and Fourth Heaven as described by martial artists, many at different realms actively chose to stop and focus on a certain direction of cultivation, whether it was body tempering or enhancing qi.”
“They only cultivate a single thought and refine that realm to perfection, not seeking other paths of cultivation. They choose to broaden rather than extend, and this Second Realm is referred to as Dragon Elephant in Buddhism and Heavenly Armor in Daoism, taking the immense power of Dragon Elephant and the Six Ding and Six Jia to protect against demons.”
“This realm boasts a powerful physique, cultivated to perfection, where fists and feet can split mountains and crack seas.”
“The only issue is that it requires painstaking effort, possibly ten years or twenty years, to enter the door and undergo transformation, significantly enhancing one’s strength. Before that, the improvement is negligible, which is why it has gradually declined.”
“After all, with that time, one could refine their qi, probe their heart, and transform into a dharma form, with strength not inferior to theirs. Thus, these are two distinct paths of cultivation. But now, it’s different; with this thing in your hand, you have the opportunity to balance both body and qi.”
The old man’s expression grew serious as he rubbed the seal, sighing:
“The significance of the war to destroy a nation for military strategists and generals is entirely different from that for other sects.”
“For military strategists, the significance of destroying a nation in terms of cultivation is enough to rival sixty years of silent meditation in Buddhism; it can match a century of Daoist wandering among mortals. And most importantly, how old are you, kid? Huh?”
“When I was your age, I was still sneaking sweet potatoes from others and running for my life with that brat Ah Chai, and in the end, I had to go work to save that little rascal!”
“This thing is enough to let you take a big step forward in the realm of body forging, enough to assist you in cultivating methods similar to the Dragon Elephant in Buddhism and the Heavenly Armor in Daoism. In the same realm, your body will be invincible.”
“Then don heavy armor, ride exotic beasts, wield divine weapons, and traverse freely.”
“With immense strength, even arrows and crossbow bolts, even those that break through armor, would find it hard to inflict serious wounds on you. When you pull out the arrows, before the bleeding stops, your wounds will begin to heal. This is what a fierce general’s physique is like.”
“Can you imagine a nine-foot-tall man, clad in black full-body armor, riding a beast with a horse's head towering a yard high, both man and beast heavily armored, weighing over ten thousand pounds, charging at you faster than a river breaking its dam, wielding a spear as thick as your wrist?”
Li Guanyi was drawn into the imagery, his breathing slightly heavy.
The old man said, “Ordinary soldiers witnessing this scene would have their morale collapse instantly, fleeing in panic. Once the soldiers’ morale collapses to a tenth, it spreads rapidly, leading to a rout.”
“Thus, such a presence is enough to undermine the morale of an entire army.”
Li Guanyi asked, “Is this what a fierce general’s physique is like?”
The old man shook his head: “No, this is an Iron Colossus.”
“An Iron Colossus of a thousand men can scatter an army of thirty thousand. If the losses exceed a hundred men, it means the commander of the Iron Colossus is a fool; a true fierce general can ride an exotic beast and scatter the Iron Colossus, breaking its spearhead.”
Li Guanyi was momentarily lost in thought, then straightened his back and asked:
“Can it be achieved directly?”
The old man retorted impatiently:
“Is your qi strong enough to refine your body to the supreme realm?”
Simi said, “This thing only allows you not to be distracted by body refining, but it is not a problem for you to initially achieve this body. After that, every time you step into a new realm, you must refine your body with the killing intent of weapons. This is a path only the heroes of chaotic times, who seek to pacify the world, can take.”
“Over the years, even this royal seal has lost its former brilliance, continuously fading. The offspring of that overlord ultimately lost the majesty of their ancestors. However, even the residual divine aura of the previous overlord is enough for you to cultivate a physique, like finding a raw jade. After that, it depends on your own refinement.”
“It is to achieve golden skin and jade bones, dragon tendons and tiger marrow.”
“Kid, do you want to cultivate?”
Li Guanyi recalled the majesty of Yuwen Lie, remembering the true White Tiger Sect, and said:
“Please teach me, sir.”
Simi’s expression grew serious, but his words lacked confidence as he said:
“Then, wait.”
“I will go find someone.”
Li Guanyi was taken aback.
The previous seriousness and the old man's words were too contrasting.
The old man squatted in front of him, justifying himself with great vigor, saying, “You said a little bit; who knew it was this little bit? For ordinary fortunes, I can help you transform, but such a great opportunity is enough for your physique to undergo transformation. I definitely can’t do it alone!”
“Wait until I find reliable folks to help you complete this forging.”
“Don’t worry, I still have a few trustworthy people.”
Li Guanyi asked, “Can it be completed before the grand ceremony of the Chen Kingdom?”
The old man looked at him.
The grand ceremony of the Chen Kingdom would undoubtedly become the first vortex of the world thereafter. Li Guanyi could not avoid it, and the old man knew this. At this moment, the old man was also looking forward to how far this young man could go in this gathering of heroes.
He nodded, calculating the time, and said:
“Definitely no problem!”
Li Guanyi breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Then I need to write a letter to this friend.”
He looked at the letter paper, which mentioned that the second son of the Duke of Ying Kingdom would also come to Jiangzhou City of the Chen Kingdom to participate in the grand ceremony. He wondered if they would have the chance to meet. After thinking for a moment, he picked up the pen and replied.
The pen fell, writing down eight characters.
The emperor of the Chen Kingdom also picked up the pen.
He was with his ministers, admiring the recently completed map of the thousand-mile territory.
The ministers all praised the artistry, but only Prime Minister Dantai Xianming smiled and said:
“Your Majesty, this painting is not good.”
“You’ve painted it incorrectly.”
The smiles of the officials vanished as if slapped in the face.
They stared blankly at the prime minister.
How could he?!
Had he drunk too much?
The emperor raised his eyes, smiling, and asked, “What is wrong?”
The officials dared not speak.
The elegant old man slightly bowed, and amidst the shock of the officials, he calmly said, “In my Chen Kingdom, we have gained three hundred miles of territory. This painting is too small. The grand ceremony a month from now, which will be viewed by heroes from all over the world, must not lose its grandeur.”
“Your Majesty may need to repaint it.”
The emperor of the Chen Kingdom was stunned, then burst into hearty laughter, pointing at the elegant prime minister, saying, “Good, good, Dantai Xianming, hahaha! Then tell me, how should this thousand-mile territory map be painted?” Dantai Xianming smiled and said, “Then please, Your Majesty, grant it to me.”
“When I pass away, I will look back at the territory of our Chen Kingdom.”
“To avoid forgetting how the sage began from such a territory to establish his achievements.”
The emperor of the Chen Kingdom laughed even more heartily, waving his hand, and the scroll fell into the arms of Prime Minister Dantai Xianming, who smiled and bowed. The general who had been promoted and captured three hundred miles of Tuyuhun land stood beside him, bowing. His name was Liu Mannu, and the emperor of the Chen Kingdom conferred him the name of Loyalty.
He was known as Liu Zhong, a third-rank general.
On the newly established Divine General list, he ranked sixty-seventh!
Achievement—Initial battle, defeated Tuyuhun, expanded territory by three hundred miles.
The emperor's laughter mingled with the music of praise.
On the northern plains, the Seven Kings were preparing their envoys for departure, and the general of the Breaking Army poured poison into the river, watching as the river shimmered like gold under the sunlight, rushing toward distant places.
The hooves trampled the river!
Yuwen Lie held his long spear, his expression solemn and cold.
Under the sunlight.
The Dangxiang people established their own kingdom, while the Tiele tribe of the Western Region saw the young master of the Xue family and the iron weapons, as the last remnants of Tuyuhun retreated to their ancestral lands. Yuwen Lie pressed his long spear against the ground, drawing a line, declaring that five hundred years later, the Central Plains would once again hold rights over this land.
This would become the Protectorate of the Ying Kingdom, governing the northwest.
Before him lay the heads of the Tuyuhun nobles.
The fierce wind blew as the fifth divine general of the world rode across the river.
Dantai Xianming held the power of the Chen Kingdom.
And the Breaking Army lifted the rough felt cloth, revealing solemn armor adorned with star patterns, exuding a bloody scent; the Seven Kings responded to the orders and envoys of the Turkic Khan;
The phoenix of the Ying Kingdom tended to its wounds.
Waiting for letters from distant places.
The king of the Dangxiang rejoiced, embracing the waist of the princess of the Chen Kingdom, sending his son to Chen Kingdom, but his eyes were cold.
They traversed the world, holding their grand aspirations, crossing rivers.
The world was a blank slate, heroes came and went, rivers and mountains intertwined, transforming into one ink-black character after another. Li Guanyi picked up the pen, writing down his response, then remembered something, took the seal from the old man, exhaled, and pressed it onto the letter.
The royal seal of the overlord from three hundred years ago fell, as red as it was on the day it was cast, imprinting the eight characters—
“Under Jiangzhou City”
“Waiting for you to come.”
………………
The old man took the seal and left, while Li Guanyi heard the sound of clanging.
It was the sound of an iron pot striking the wall.
He turned around and saw his aunt waving at him. The young man hesitated for a moment but still walked over. Murong Qiushui looked at the young man before her, raising an eyebrow and saying, “Li Nuer, planning to go to Jiangzhou?”
Li Guanyi replied, “...Yes.”
He told his aunt everything. Murong Qiushui rested her chin on one hand and said:
“But don’t you already know that the emperor knows your background? It might be a bit troublesome, right?”
Li Guanyi thought for a moment and said, “If Aunt doesn’t let me go, then I won’t go.”
Murong Qiushui sighed, extending her finger to the young man's forehead, scolding, “Li Nuer has learned to be bad and is now using words to tease Aunt. When did I say you couldn’t go?”
“Just that, we need to slightly adjust your appearance and fortune.”
“And your fate, your temperament.”
Li Guanyi was taken aback: “Huh?”
Murong Qiushui smiled slightly, leisurely saying:
“Aunt may not understand martial arts.”
“But there is something I can teach you.”
(End of Chapter)