"Qilin?"
Li Guanyi's brush, dipped in thick ink, was poised to touch General Xue's face when he halted at the mention of these two words. It was not only because of the mythical beast that existed in legends but also due to the story of Yue Qianfeng, where the Peace Order had brought back the pearl of the barbarian leader after subduing the southwestern region.
The one riding was indeed the qilin.
Such a divine beast could not possibly exist in duplicates within the vast Chen Kingdom.
General Xue smiled and said, "Yes, the qilin."
"If you have heard the story of Chen Xingyuan, you should recall that he once wielded his sword to slay a fierce tiger with wings, causing the giants of the northern domain to flee in disarray. Chen Xingyuan became famous for this. Have you ever wondered why that winged tiger suddenly left its lair to venture into the Central Plains?"
Before Li Guanyi could respond, General Xue had already provided the answer.
"Since ancient times, the winged tiger has been called Qiongqi. In the southwestern region, there is a grand festival with twelve divine beasts, and Qiongqi is one of them. Its body is as large as a city gate; no human city can contain it. With a single leap, it can invade towns, devouring people as easily as crushing ants."
"Roaring like thunder, Chen Xingyuan fought for three hours, ultimately slaying that Qiongqi. The final strike shattered mountains and pierced through Qiongqi's skull, elevating his weapon to a divine artifact. The reason Qiongqi came here was due to the small divine beast it carried in its embrace."
Li Guanyi interjected, "The qilin."
General Xue replied, "Correct, the qilin is the king revered by all beasts."
"Similar to a fierce tiger, yet possessing the characteristics of a dragon, with scales and fur coexisting."
"The reason Chen Xingyuan chose Jiangzhou, a place far from the Central Plains, as his stronghold was to avoid the royal family and to conceal this secret. Nearly everyone who knew this secret was killed by him."
"Except for me."
General Xue smiled slightly and said, "Because he could not defeat me."
"When he discovered that I had moved the ancestral land of the Xue family to his doorstep, you should have seen the expression on his face; it was more entertaining than any performance."
Li Guanyi ignored the smug General Xue and asked, "The young qilin?"
General Xue gestured with his hand, "Yes, at that time, it could fit into a battle robe, about the size of a large dog. Rather than a divine beast, it was more like a larger flower raccoon."
"It was a fire qilin, resembling an orange raccoon like 'gold on a silver bed.'"
"Considering its size."
"I suspect it had just been born when Chen Xingyuan captured it. Since ancient times, good and evil have existed like the two ends of yin and yang, coexisting. Qiongqi represents evil, while the qilin symbolizes auspiciousness. That Qiongqi was likely waiting there to devour the qilin once it descended to this world, to become a purer evil spirit."
"In order to kill Qiongqi, Chen Xingyuan instead found the qilin."
"He was initially very excited. Since ancient times, divine generals have loved divine weapons, precious armor, and exotic beasts. The qilin has always ranked among the top ten in the list of exotic beasts throughout history. Although the fire qilin is a Five Elements qilin, it is not the original and most authentic auspicious beast."
"However, for a divine general, a fire qilin that can walk on four legs and soar through the air when fully grown, roaring and commanding all beasts, is a perfect beast for charging into battle, far superior to any phoenix. A single breath of fire could turn iron into molten metal."
General Xue continued:
"I suspect that old fellow had even prepared a royal robe back then."
"He was just short of draping it over himself."
"Unfortunately, he later discovered that beasts like the qilin take at least five hundred years to mature."
"Another five hundred years to reach youth."
"Its lifespan is at least eight thousand years."
"Although Chen Xingyuan was a renowned general with an army of a hundred thousand, lacking the foundation of golden skin and jade bones, and having fought many battles, he could not withstand the qilin's might. In the end, he had to hide this fire qilin within Jiangzhou City, hoping that his descendants would produce an extraordinary general who could gain the qilin's recognition."
"Has the qilin matured in your era? Even if it hasn't, it should at least be rideable. A qilin aged between five hundred and two thousand years can already breathe fire, surrounded by flames, causing all beasts to tremble."
Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow and said, "What does knowing about the qilin matter?"
"I can't take it with me."
General Xue replied, "Not necessarily. Back then, when Chen Xingyuan could not defeat me, I played with the qilin for a long time and had Yaoguang help me leave a mark. It is a technique; beasts like the qilin have excellent memories. Those they recognize will never be forgotten, even after a thousand or several thousand years."
"With this mark, you can at least approach the fire qilin."
"Tell it that an old friend has come. Whether you can gain the fire qilin's recognition afterward depends on you."
General Xue smiled and asked, "What do you think?"
Li Guanyi sighed, threw down his brush, and said, "Fine, I accept it."
"What is the method?"
General Xue extended his hand, manipulating the White Tiger Dharma form to emit a special wave, as if inviting play and frolic, the movements lively. General Xue smiled and said, "Back then, when the qilin was young, I transformed into the White Tiger and accompanied it in play for many years. Now, after hundreds of years apart, seeing its childhood companion again, it will not remain indifferent."
"I will teach you how to play with it."
Li Guanyi smirked, skeptical, "…Is that it?"
General Xue laughed heartily, "Haha, you and I, despite our strength capable of shattering mountains and filling seas, have lifespans that are worlds apart from beasts like the qilin. However, a few hundred years is not insignificant; for humans, it equates to growing old and weary, even meeting childhood friends again in old age."
"This kind of bond would not be disregarded even by a fierce beast like a tiger."
"Let alone the auspicious qilin?"
"This kind of friendship far exceeds that of those fellows from the Chen Kingdom."
"Moreover, Chen Xingyuan's descendants might still possess the grand ambitions of their ancestors, but if they have become ordinary nobles, who can resist the allure of qilin blood? Go take a look; if the qilin is not faring well at this moment, you must bring it away."
Li Guanyi was taken aback.
General Xue spoke softly, "The blood of the auspicious qilin, which can live for ten thousand years, had already been rumored by countless sorcerers and practitioners during Chen Xingyuan's time. They claimed that qilin blood could be used to concoct elixirs for immortality, but Chen Xingyuan drove them all away."
"Such a person, selfish and ambitious, with feelings of loyalty and righteousness, was lawless."
"He only trusted his own spear."
"However, his descendants may not be able to resist temptation."
Li Guanyi nodded.
At this moment, thoughts began to rise in his mind.
[The Peace Order's mount is the qilin] [The Chen royal family may covet qilin blood for longevity elixirs]
Could these be related to his parents' matters?
He suppressed these thoughts.
That day, General Xue shared with Li Guanyi how to interact with the qilin, what it liked to eat, and the melodies it enjoyed. Then he waved his hand and said, "You may go now. The secret realm has ended, and I do not know when we will gather again."
As the secret realm concluded, the starlight converged entirely.
The silver-haired girl extended her hand, and endless starlight flowed and transformed, ultimately disassembling into numerous diamond-shaped crystals.
Yaoguang caught these starry objects.
Then she placed them into her bag.
Li Guanyi asked, "Shall we go to Jiangzhou City together?"
The silver-haired girl shook her head, pulling her hood over her head.
Only the silver strands at her temples and the smooth curve of her chin remained visible, her voice calm, "You need not worry about me. The disassembly of the secret realm will take time; I will complete it in five days. I will remember your aura, whether you are in Jiangzhou City or anywhere in the world."
"I can find you."
"The pact has not yet ended; you need not worry about my departure."
Li Guanyi looked at the girl before him and nodded. He turned to leave, while Yaoguang quietly recorded the trajectory of the starlight within the secret realm. After a moment, he heard the sound of hooves and turned back to see the youth returning.
Li Guanyi brought something and placed it beside Yaoguang.
Inside was an assortment of snacks.
Yaoguang glanced at it.
Li Guanyi extended his hand.
Under the girl's watchful eyes, he picked up a straight, smooth stick used for steaming buns.
Li Guanyi said, "I'll take this for now. If I'm not around in the future, don't steam buns by yourself. No, try not to cook at all." This girl tended to lose focus while cooking, and when she regained her senses, the buns could be used as throwing weapons.
Yaoguang looked at him, her voice serene, "Alright."
Li Guanyi felt reassured, leaving enough food, snacks, and vegetables for Yaoguang, giving her countless reminders before he finally felt at ease. He mounted his horse and left, as the Xue family's team would set off the next day, and he couldn't return too late. Yaoguang watched the youth depart.
She turned and walked back to her original spot.
Reaching into her large bag, she rummaged around.
She pulled out a crystal.
Carefully placing it aside.
Then she took out a book.
Casually tossing it aside.
After flipping through it, she pulled out a straight, smooth wooden stick, even more so than the previous one.
The silver-haired girl raised the wooden stick, examining it under the starlight.
Her face showed no expression.
Yet there was an inexplicable sense of pride.
Clenching her fist around the stick, she thrust it down.
Perfectly embedding it into the ground, she skewered a bun onto it, igniting a campfire, and began reading.
Reading.
…………
On Li Guanyi's birthday, he had a meal with his aunt. Murong Qiushui was as usual, reminding him not to cause trouble in the capital. That day, Li Guanyi played the guqin and chess, defeating the youth three times before letting him leave in satisfaction.
On the day of departure, Murong Qiushui saw Li Guanyi off from the Xue family.
She only mentioned that summer days were hot, advising him not to wear too many clothes, but also not to drink too much ice, lest it harm his health. Li Guanyi nodded in agreement, and after several urgings from the Xue family team, he mounted his horse and said, "Aunt, you should return now; there's no need to see me off."
Murong Qiushui smiled and said, "It's fine; Aunt will stay here and watch you go far."
Li Guanyi could not argue with her. Following the team forward, when he reached the front of the road, he could still see his aunt's figure in front of the Xue residence until he turned a corner, and that figure disappeared from view.
Xue Daoyong remarked, "You and your aunt seem to have a good relationship."
Li Guanyi nodded, "My aunt raised me by hand; she is the closest person to me in this world…"
Murong Qiushui referred to herself as Mu Lin.
In the past, Li Guanyi often bickered with his aunt, but now, as they left the city, the grand festival would be in twenty days, and he would not see his aunt for over a month. He began to feel a sense of nostalgia. The scenery on both sides was unremarkable, and the Xue family team was long, carrying gifts for various officials and nobles.
Xue Daoyong spoke to Li Guanyi about some matters, advising him not to cause trouble after entering the city, but also not to fear trouble. He informed him that he would soon take up his post in the capital, where the Chen Kingdom's officials were numerous, with ranks, appointments, and assignments. Li Guanyi was currently a Zhenwei Xiaowei of the seventh rank, without any assignment.
After entering the city, he would need to take up a new position.
Li Guanyi nodded, observing the scenery on both sides. The distance between Jiangzhou City and Guan Yi City was over three hundred miles, and the Xue family team aimed to arrive within a day. Li Guanyi noticed that every few dozen miles along the route, there was a relay station, bustling with carriages and people from various countries, where they could drink tea and eat.
The tables outside were laden with rich meats, much of it leftover.
Visitors from outside did not need to pay any silver.
They praised the Central Plains, indeed bountiful, vast, and rich in resources, with beautiful people. Initially, there were relay stations every fifty miles, then every thirty miles, and finally every twenty miles.
In addition, there were monks and Daoists along the road, as if a debate conference was underway.
There were also beautifully adorned carriages, and looking out over the flowing river, there were flower boats, stretching on and nearly obscuring the entire riverway of Jiangzhou City, a grand sight indeed.
Yet amidst this grand spectacle, Li Guanyi saw many common folk.
These commoners wore weary expressions, rushing outward. An elderly man, accompanied by two children, hurried along, seemingly affected by the increasingly hot weather. After walking under the sun for too long, he stumbled and fell forward.
The fallen commoner contrasted sharply with the monks and people from other countries who flowed by effortlessly.
Li Guanyi frowned and dismounted to help, but another bronze-skinned youth also reached out to assist the old man. The two exchanged glances, and Li Guanyi checked the old man's pulse, saying, "You haven't eaten for too long; it's too hot. Let's find a shaded place."
The Xue family team continued forward without stopping for Li Guanyi.
Xue Daoyong allowed Li Guanyi's actions, and the youth helped the old man to a shady spot under a tree. The old man had brought water, took a sip, and ate some dry rations to regain his strength. Li Guanyi said, "Old sir, where are you from? You need to take care of your health."
The old man caught his breath and replied, "Thank you both for your concern. I am a commoner from the towns around Jiangzhou. At this time, we are seizing the opportunity to head southwest."
Li Guanyi was surprised, "Heading southwest at this time?"
The old man smiled bitterly, "Nothing else; don't you know? The grand festival is just too… too…"
Seeing Li Guanyi's silk robe, the old man quickly changed his tone, saying, "It's my own fault. Young master, your kindness is a great favor; I cannot repay it even if I die." He bowed repeatedly, then hurried off with the two children, their steps quick.
Li Guanyi was about to speak when the bronze-skinned youth said in a deep voice:
"With your attire, the nobles won't speak to you."
Li Guanyi understood the implication and tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
The youth patted the curved blade at his waist and said, "I came from the west. I heard that the emperor of the Central Plains cares for the common people like a sage. I was curious, so I rode a camel out of the desert and then a donkey to get here, but what I see is not quite right."
Li Guanyi asked, "Do you know why?"
The youth replied, "Not much, just heard that along the way, these envoys and merchants from various countries do not need to spend money; there are relay stations along their routes. I once heard an old man say that all counties within five hundred miles must offer food."
"And then the surrounding counties must gather five thousand artisans to perform music in the capital."
"All this money comes from the common people, to celebrate the grand festival."
Li Guanyi frowned, looking at Jiangzhou City, the grand festival of the Chen Kingdom, a significant event for the world.
Yet it still weighed heavily on the common people. The emperor of the Chen Kingdom…
Li Guanyi did not voice his opinions but rejoined the Xue family's carriage, entering Jiangzhou City alongside the old man. Naturally, no one dared to stop the Xue family's convoy, and the youth from the western region followed behind Li Guanyi on his donkey.
He was a westerner, exempt from the head tax.
Li Guanyi gazed at the massive city ahead.
Majestic, solemn, and grand.
This was Jiangzhou City, the capital of the Chen Kingdom, the place where his parents once walked.
Over ten years ago, did the Peace Order not ride the qilin through these gates, with cheers all around? Li Guanyi pondered as he entered Jiangzhou City, suddenly pausing, feeling a familiar yet strange aura.
At the moment Li Guanyi stepped into Jiangzhou, the entire city fell into silence. It was a stillness where all beasts and insects dared not make a sound, even the wind ceased. Li Guanyi sensed that the aura had also taken notice of him.
That energy fluctuated violently, and then—
A roar, akin to that of a tiger or dragon, suddenly erupted!
The qilin!
(This chapter ends)