As the patterns on the bronze cauldron became clearer, the traces of the Qilin were imprinted upon it. However, it failed to manifest its Dharma form, instead transforming into a pure protective power. Li Guanyi did not know whether this power simply could not take the form of a Dharma manifestation, or if the Qilin's state had weakened to the point of being unable to do so.
The bronze cauldron hummed and gradually quieted down.
The voice of the Qilin rose within Li Guanyi's heart, laden with fatigue:
"This city is not a safe place."
"My power can protect your life once."
"You... should leave."
"Do not come back."
Li Guanyi, anxious, thought, "Wait! Right now—"
The Qilin's aura actively severed its connection with Li Guanyi.
It was resolute and unyielding.
It truly refused to have any further conversation with Li Guanyi.
It only hoped that the youth could be safe, and it was no longer within its considerations.
Yet on the bronze cauldron, the imprint formed from the Qilin's power remained vividly clear, and the Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Great Formation shifted and changed. The core formation point that Li Guanyi had spent several hours locating had inexplicably moved elsewhere.
This place had transformed into a land of malevolence. If he continued to attempt to enter the formation through this aura, he would be detected by the Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Great Formation.
This would attract killing intent and attacks.
This was a formation left behind by one of the top three Yin-Yang Masters in the world. Even if it was merely a technique from his thirties, even if the one presiding over the formation was not Si Wei, and even if Li Guanyi understood the formation diagram, once the formation changed, he found it difficult to keep pace.
Even though Li Guanyi felt an urgent emotion in his heart, at this moment, he could only stop studying the Huangji Jingshi Shu and refrain from engaging with the formation. Before the aura nodes of the formation completed their changes, he carelessly took a half step forward, tilting his head to gaze at the myriad stars in the sky.
The ripples of the Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Formation brushed past him. The youth clenched the palms behind his back tightly, his fingers turning pale, yet his face remained calm as he softly said, "Watching the stars in the sky from here is also a unique scenery."
Qibi Li looked at the sky and said:
"Indeed, the winds, grasses, waters, and trees of Jiangnan are astonishingly beautiful. The place we live has no such lovely trees or waters. We do have willow trees, a type called red willow, which is not pretty, but its leaves can feed cattle and sheep."
"Its branches can be woven into baskets for holding things, and its dead roots can be used as the best firewood. Our desert willows are lifesaving, unlike those in Jiangnan."
Li Guanyi looked at this youth who spoke fondly of his hometown and asked curiously:
"Then why did you come to Jiangnan?"
"Me?"
The youth pondered for a moment and replied earnestly:
"We no longer want to live that way. We seek the support of the Sage Emperor. If possible, we wouldn't mind being incorporated into the Central Plains. Our clansmen can cultivate the land and are very diligent; they can pay taxes to the emperor. Our men are all heroes on horseback, skilled in riding and hunting."
"As long as it allows our children to no longer be slaves to others."
"I would give my sword and my life."
Li Guanyi immediately realized why the Emperor of Chen Kingdom had sent Qibi Li to the palace.
There were not many Tie Le people, but those remaining were elite.
With a few thousand households, if each family had two males, that would be over ten thousand people.
At this moment, they had already been submerged in the vast annals of history. Among the light cavalry peaks in the world, the Tie Le's golden curved blade cavalry was one of them. They donned leather armor, or sometimes none at all, riding agile horses from the Western Regions. When they formed a formation and charged, their bodies were kept low, and their curved blades sliced through the wind.
Before the enemy could react, their throats would be cut.
This was an army even General Xue praised, presented to Li Guanyi as the first enemy.
Over ten thousand Tie Le men fought for their parents and wives.
As long as the logistics kept up.
They would immediately transform into a light cavalry army of thousands.
However, Li Guanyi thought of the Emperor of Chen Kingdom's weighing of options. He speculated:
"Is it just you who came to the palace for a night tour today?"
Qibi Li replied, "There is also a living Buddha from the Western Regions and a young prince from the Dangxiang people."
Li Guanyi understood.
It was still a matter of balance.
The Emperor of Chen had chosen the Dangxiang people but did not want them to grow too powerful. He wanted to use the young Tie Le Khan to counterbalance the Dangxiang, telling them that the Chen Kingdom did not lack a second choice, hoping to keep the Dangxiang people in check.
This also meant that unless the Dangxiang turned against the Chen Kingdom, the Emperor of Chen would never lean towards Tie Le.
This youth, who had traveled thousands of miles on a donkey for the sake of his clan's elders and children, was destined to return empty-handed. This had nothing to do with whether their clansmen lived in hardship or his personal bravery; in the eyes of the monarch, it was merely a pawn.
Qibi Li took down the water pouch from his waist, filled with milk wine, and tilted his head back to drink. At this moment, he was just a simple Khan's youth, his eyes reflecting the stars above. He spoke to Li Guanyi in accented Central Plains Mandarin about his hometown, saying the people there were lovely, and how everyone stole sheep to find wolves.
He recounted how, as a child, he lost his dog and climbed the mountain to search for it.
Finally, at night, he found a cave, reached in, and pulled out what turned out to be a human skull. He was too young to be afraid, so he tossed it aside and reached in again, only to find nothing. It was not until the third time that he finally found the dog, an old female dog that had given birth to wolf pups in the cave.
In the end, he returned home with three little puppies in his arms.
With a drunken flush on his face, he gestured with his hands and softly said:
"The Sage Son of the Chen Kingdom requires one hundred and fifty duck tongues in a single bowl of soup, and the remaining meat must be thrown away. If we were given such meat, each person's bowl would have a bit of meat, which is only for festive days!"
"I heard that in the palace, during autumn and winter, beautiful silk is hung on the trees, resembling the scenery of spring. After a few days of wind and sun, when the silk loses its color, it is taken down and replaced with new ones. Such extravagance."
"We only have a few thousand households, but each one has warriors skilled in riding and archery."
"I believe there will be no problem."
"We are willing to die for him, hoping they can give us a piece of land, a stable life. Are not a few thousand brave and fearless cavalry worth this? Are our lives worth less than discarded meat? The Sage Son of the Central Plains should be able to calculate this clearly!"
The Tie Le language was not difficult to learn. Li Guanyi had picked up some while being beaten. He could only understand about sixty to seventy percent of Qibi Li's words. He finally understood that Qibi Li was not simply seeking assistance; he clearly knew the truth of this world, understood it was a chaotic era, yet he still came.
He saw the chaos and recognized the importance of martial power within it.
Thus, he wagered his life in this chaotic world as a bargaining chip.
All for the sake of leaving a better future for the children of his tribe.
Li Guanyi said, "It should be possible. I wish you success."
This sentence came from the heart.
He paused, then spoke in Tie Le language: "If the worst happens and you need help, you can come to the Xue family to find me."
"Just say you want to spar with me."
The youth patted Qibi Li's shoulder.
Using the strength of the Tie Le Third Prince's golden curved blade.
Qibi Li's eyes, seemingly tinted with drunkenness, suddenly sharpened, staring intently at the Central Plains youth he had seen upon entering the city. This heroic youth understood the subtle changes in their Tie Le martial arts?!
The eunuch said, "Gentlemen, if you have rested enough, it is time to continue."
"The other two esteemed guests have already arrived at the Imperial Garden."
Li Guanyi said, "It is the meeting between the living Buddha from the Western Regions and the Dangxiang prince, concerning the Western Regions."
"Then I will not go."
The youth smiled and said, "We have chatted enough on this journey. If we continue, Xue Lao and my aunt will worry about me. Brother Qibi Li, if you have time later, you can come find me for a drink."
The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief.
The subsequent discussions were indeed not suitable for outsiders to be present.
Thus, the smile on his face became much more gentle as he said, "Alright, then we will have someone escort Li Xiaowei back to Xue Guifei's palace; Khan, please follow me to the Imperial Garden, where the esteemed guests are already waiting."
Li Guanyi and Qibi Li parted ways, agreeing to meet again for drinks later.
Li Guanyi left from there.
He did not look back, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened, just like the tranquil starry sky above at this moment. Yet within his heart, intense emotions surged; he wanted to see the Qilin, to know its current state.
Li Guanyi slightly raised his gaze—
The Jinwu Guard.
However, Li Guanyi did not expect that on his way back, he would encounter the Chief Eunuch again. The Chief Eunuch was also surprised to see Li Guanyi and smiled, saying, "I came to urge my useless godson, who is taking so long to lead the way. I didn't expect to run into Li Xiaowei."
"Turns out Li Xiaowei knows that Tie Le Khan."
"Since he has already taken the Khan to the Imperial Garden, then I will not urge him anymore. Going back and forth would make it seem like our Chen Kingdom lacks generosity. You may go, Li Xiaowei, I will take you back."
He instructed the little eunuch and, smiling, took the lantern to lead Li Guanyi toward the palace. Li Guanyi's mind was calm as he continued to deduce the formation of the Qilin Palace. However, the Huangji Jingshi Shu and the Four Symbols Sealing Spirit Formation he had learned could only handle the fixed patterns.
This change made things somewhat difficult.
He was also worried that his impulsive deductions would bring about adverse effects.
So he remained quiet. The Chief Eunuch, holding the lantern, slowed his pace and softly said:
"Li Xiaowei, I have something to say, which may not be pleasant to hear, but after thinking it over, I still need to tell you. I originally planned to say it when sending you out of the palace later, but now that we have this opportunity, I will speak out."
Li Guanyi said, "Please speak, my lord."
The Chief Eunuch paused for a moment and said, "That General Yuwen Lie may still hold some dissatisfaction towards you and may harbor hostility. If their prince or royal son invites you to a banquet, you must be cautious. Although they are among the few nobles in the world, if you can avoid it, then do so."
"I would say it is reckless and treasonous to attend. The world is not yet settled."
"You are a youthful hero to our Chen Kingdom, but to Ying Kingdom, you are a thorn in their side that must be removed as soon as possible. Over the years, many young talents have perished due to the schemes of other countries."
"Ying Kingdom has done things to our Chen Kingdom, and I suspect we have not been lenient towards Ying Kingdom either."
The Chief Eunuch hesitated, looking around. To strengthen the persuasiveness of his words, fearing this young man was too impetuous and unwilling to yield, he offered an example and said softly:
"Not to mention anything else."
"Wasn't it during a grand sacrifice over a decade ago that Tai Ping Gong met his end? Some say that Tai Ping Gong's death was related to Ying Kingdom. Upon careful consideration, it is not without reason. The greatest beneficiaries of Tai Ping Gong's death were precisely the Turks and Ying Kingdom."
"At that time, Yuwen Lie was still a young general, the same age as Marshal Yue Pengwu."
"He was nearly made to spit blood by a spear from Tai Ping Gong."
"Our Tai Ping Gong's illustrious reputation was built upon pacifying the southwest, subduing foreign lands, and opposing Ying Kingdom, slaying three renowned generals of the Yuwen family in three years. Such a top-tier general suddenly died unexpectedly in his prime; I truly do not believe there was no foreign influence involved."
The Chief Eunuch fell silent, sighed, and said, "As for why I feel this way."
"That year, the fifth divine general of the world."
"Was none other than Tai Ping Gong."
!!!
Li Guanyi's heart stirred. He said, "…I will remember this. Thank you, my lord."
"However, my aunt and uncle will not allow him to act against me."
A hint of a proud yet humble smile appeared on the youth's face: "Though I may not be as far-reaching as Tai Ping Gong, I am from the Xue family, a prominent clan in the world. I have practiced martial arts for ten years, skilled in archery and horseback riding. Although Yuwen Lie is strong, he would not dare to act so brazenly against me in Da Chen!"
"My Xue family will not stand by idly!"
"Even so, I still thank you, my lord."
The Chief Eunuch smiled and said, "Our family? What did we just say?"
The youth reached into his bosom.
First, he grabbed some silver.
Then he put it down and picked up the gold given by the Turkic Seven Kings, handing it to the Chief Eunuch with a smile:
"To say that the palace is strictly forbidden, and I must be careful not to trespass."
The Chief Eunuch's smile became much warmer. "Then let us go."
"If the young Xiaowei has any matters, feel free to instruct me."
Li Guanyi cupped his hands and walked toward Xue Guifei's palace under the starlight. The Chief Eunuch quietly watched this scene, holding a secret letter from the maidservants in Xue Guifei's palace, which mentioned that Xue Guifei had been discussing Li Guanyi's youth with great familiarity.
He also recalled the youth's reaction just now and softly said:
"He is not a descendant of Tai Ping Gong."
When he reached this conclusion, he did not know whether to feel relieved or regretful.
The palace had asked him to investigate this youth's background, to test, probe, and investigate multiple times before confirming this point.
The Chief Eunuch remembered the divine general who had welcomed the princess barefoot.
At that time, he was just a little eunuch, and only that divine general would thank him. After being helped onto a horse while drunk, he would raise a wine cake and invite him to drink together, saying that brothers should drink together. He had humbly said he was a flawed person, unworthy of being called a brother, but that youth had only laughed heartily.
Saying that a man should have courage and not care about others.
He softly said, "He is not your descendant, Tai Ping Gong; how wonderful, he is not your descendant."
"No need to be watched."
"But why is he not your descendant?"
"Let the maidservants know that your bloodline still exists in this world."
"However, if he were your descendant, would I report it to the emperor? Would I, myself, even know?" This eunuch, who had once fought his way into a fire and witnessed the last moments of that divine general, bent his waist and turned to leave, his figure slowly disappearing within the palace.
He seemed even smaller than when he had been beaten and humiliated back then.
Li Guanyi returned to the palace, his mind settling as he slowly adjusted his state. Tomorrow was the selection for the Jinwu Guard. Thanks to that Yuwen Lie, all the martial merit youths in the capital were eager to try their skills against Li Guanyi in the Jinwu Guard selection!
The officials of the Ministry of Personnel said they had never seen such a scale.
It was a contest of guarding the arena, and Li Guanyi felt that those martial merit youths would be watching him closely.
They would likely fight for three days straight!
When Xue Guifei saw Li Guanyi return, she smiled and said, "My Qilin has returned! I didn't expect you to have connections with that Tie Le Khan."
"Come, see what gift your aunt has prepared for you. Do you like it?"
Li Guanyi thanked her and then opened the gift box.
The youth's expression gradually froze. Inside the box was a token, with a fierce tiger swallowing a plate on the back and the words Jinwu Guard prominently displayed on the front.
Jinwu Guard identity!
Xue Guifei smiled and said, "How is this gift?"
The Guifei reached out to adjust the youth's collar, her tone light and noble as she said:
"My Qilin need not lower himself to play with those martial merit youths."
"A bunch of idle wastrels."
"Do they even deserve it?"
(The End of This Chapter)