Chapter 1001: Let You Never Obtain

The colossal python, coiling in the human realm, presented an awe-inspiring spectacle.

On the battlefield of Beima, Tuoba Pusa roared furiously, "Xu Fengnian! How dare you seize the spiritual essence of heaven and earth and absorb it for your own!"

At Qingliang Mountain in Liangzhou, Tantai Pingjing stood outside the Listening Tide Pavilion. She watched a young woman with an incredibly pale complexion emerge from within. The woman's beauty was so breathtaking it could topple kingdoms. Tantai Pingjing, having observed countless individuals, mused that only a select few, such as White Fox Face, Chen Yu, and Jiang Ni, could possibly compare to this young lady. Yet, despite her striking appearance, this girl, still possessing a touch of childish innocence, naturally lacked the formidable presence of those women whose lives had been marked by obscure origins and arduous journeys. Standing before Tantai Pingjing, she appeared timid and frail, like a delicate flower that blossoms and fades unnoticed in a quiet corner. However, upon seeing her, both men and women would inevitably feel a surge of compassion.

Tantai Pingjing surveyed her surroundings. To her, Qingliang Mountain felt empty. Though people and objects remained, the profound energy the Xu family had amassed over twenty years in Liyang's northwest was utterly gone.

In this world, every individual possesses a certain amount of innate fortune, though it varies greatly. Only those with the most can truly accumulate it into significant destiny. The current Liyang Emperor, Zhao Zhuan, is naturally a prime example of such a person. The former Grand Secretary, Zhang Julu, once possessed it, and now Chen Wang does too. Grand Pillar Gu Jiantang has always held it, as does Prince Zhao Zhu, son of King Yan Chi Zhao Bing. Even Zhao Kai, the late emperor's illegitimate son who perished in the Western Regions years ago, also had it. Among women, Empress Jiang Ni of Great Chu, currently beating the drums on the walls of Jubei City, possesses it. So do Xuanyuan Qingfeng from the Liyang martial world and the Six-Bead Master, a female Bodhisattva from Lan Tuo Mountain.

However, the girl before Tantai Pingjing possessed not even a trace of this innate fortune—an absolute anomaly in the eyes of any qi practitioner.

Alternatively, this woman might once have commanded immense destiny, perhaps destined to become the Empress of Beima or even the next Khagan of the grasslands. Yet, for unknown reasons, all her accumulated destiny had, in the end, merged into the Xu family's fortune, only to be entirely drained away by a certain individual in Jubei City.

The qi practitioner grandmaster, who had originally been journeying south to the Nanhai sect, had only been passing through Liangzhou City. Upon witnessing the unusual phenomenon there, she couldn't resist investigating. Gazing at the bewildered young girl, Tantai Pingjing paused for a moment of reflection, then, understanding dawning upon her, gently inquired, "Are you Huyan Guanyin?"

The girl nodded and asked, "Who are you, big sister?"

Tantai Pingjing smiled faintly, then her brow furrowed as she asked, "Did Xu Fengnian ask you to do this?"

The girl quickly shook her head. "Young Master only thinks I returned to my grassland tribe. He doesn't know I've been staying here in the Listening Tide Pavilion. It was Grandfather Xu who secretly told me all this before he died... For Young Master, I am perfectly willing!"

Tantai Pingjing observed the resolute look on the girl's exquisite face. She sighed softly, then looked up and whispered, "Are you truly willing?"

The destiny of Jubei City in Beiliang, Shenhuang City in West Chu, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau of Liyang, Lan Tuo Mountain in the Western Regions, and even a portion of the northern grasslands' fortune contained within this naive girl—

An auspicious destiny of eternal prosperity.

He embarked on three journeys through the martial world: two in the Central Plains and one in Beima. He also made three visits to the imperial court: two to Tai'an City and one to Guangling Dao.

Every land he traversed, every place he visited...

...yielded him something invaluable.

The destiny he ultimately amassed would be more than enough not just for a regional warlord governing a fragmented territory, but even for an emperor of the Central Plains.

Why are you still unwilling to assess the situation, step back, and await your moment?!

Tantai Pingjing reached out and gently ruffled the girl's hair. "You and I are equally foolish, but you... you are much braver than I was in my youth. That's good. The most foolish thing a woman can do is to hold a grudge against the one she loves. Huyan Guanyin, live well from now on; you will surely find happiness."

Huyan Guanyin, still a little dazed, managed a smile and nodded, saying, "Thank you, big sister."

Tantai Pingjing offered a knowing smile. "'Big sister'? Me? 'Old granny' would be more accurate, wouldn't it?"

The girl looked bewildered as the tall female qi practitioner had already vanished.

Huyan Guanyin, finally "re-emerging" from the Listening Tide Pavilion, sat down on the edge of its stone base. She raised a small fist and waved it, as if cheering someone on, "This time, Young Master, you must win your fight!"

New grass will sprout next year, and geese will depart and return.

Xu Fengnian took a minuscule step, barely an inch. Such a short stride seemed almost negligible.

Yet, at that very moment, the Beima War God, who had previously clashed with the young prince dozens of times without yielding an inch, suddenly began to slide back over ten paces!

Could there truly be an unstoppable edge in this world?!

On the battlefield, perhaps only the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry could compare; in the imperial court, only the late Zhang Julu of Liyang matched such influence.

Now, this young man, having cast aside all burdens and worries, faces an army of over 300,000 Beima soldiers, in addition to the Beima War God, who has already achieved celestial longevity!

Dressed in white robes with flowing, wide sleeves, he surged forward with effortless grace.

The colossal snow-white python followed Xu Fengnian's white figure, surging out of Jubei City!

Tuoba Pusa began to retreat, continuously flickering in and out of sight across the battlefield.

The colossal white python, though it swept across the battlefield without harming the Beima army, leaped high into the air like a shimmering white rainbow. In the next instant, its massive, building-sized head slammed down with ferocious power, striking Tuoba Pusa, whose movements had inexplicably become sluggish, and sending him sprawling to the ground.

Dust billowed into the air.

Xu Fengnian then placed his foot on the fallen man's forehead, leaning forward to gaze down at the pillar of Beima's military and political power. He chuckled, "Tuoba Pusa! You were so determined to grasp both the martial world and the imperial court in your hands, so I shall make you... ultimately..."

"...fail to obtain either!"

The eighteen golden flood dragons coiling around Tuoba Pusa's robust form violently struck the colossal white python towering above them.

Each time the great python lowered its head to bite, it would crush or tear apart a golden-yellow flood dragon, each as thick as a bowl.

The brilliant golden light shattered with extreme speed, like unanchored fragments. Most of it dissipated into the air, but a tiny fraction—dozens of faint specks imperceptible to the average person—merged into the foreheads of some individuals on the battlefield outside the city and within Jubei City. The faint glow flickered erratically; some settled and became dormant, while others, as if unable to adapt, ejected from the foreheads and gradually faded away.

How could eighteen slender bamboo poles possibly support the force of a toppling mountain peak?

After more than a dozen such assaults, Tuoba Pusa, who had remained pinned to the ground, suddenly roared. Adopting the stance of a great dragon drawing water, he rapidly absorbed the remaining seven flood dragons into his seven orifices.

However, a two-zhang-long flood dragon remained firmly clutched in Xu Fengnian's hand. Like a snake seized by its vital point, it thrashed in a death struggle, its head and tail violently lashing against Xu Fengnian's body.

Tuoba Pusa, whose forehead had been trampled, used this chance to slide back thirty *zhang*, escaping Xu Fengnian's grasp. The latter twisted hard, snapping the flood dragon into two, its brilliant golden light spilling everywhere. Then, the white python coiled beside the young prince opened its maw, gently inhaled, and swallowed the light, as if enjoying a hearty meal.

Tuoba Pusa, now covered in golden blood, stood panting heavily in the distance. His eyes were dark as he warily observed the young prince's every move.

Xu Fengnian didn't press his advantage. He simply stood there and scoffed, "Half of your destiny has already been usurped by others, Tuoba Pusa. Does that pain you?"

Tuoba Pusa sneered back, "How long can you maintain this peak state? Half an incense stick? Or a full one? You will certainly collapse sooner than I will!"

Xu Fengnian casually flicked his sleeve and, with a knowing smile, challenged, "You guess?"

Tuoba Pusa took a deep breath and spread his hands. Beneath his skin, his veins and bones glowed with a vivid golden hue, clearly visible. Gradually regaining his composure, he looked up and stated grimly, "You will regret this!"

Xu Fengnian looked back at Jubei City, then back towards the south.

The martial grandmasters who fell outside Jubei City, and the commanding generals who perished beyond Beiliang Pass throughout the years, are undoubtedly worthy of respect. However, the true backbone of our Beiliang are the ordinary soldiers beyond Beiliang Pass, who, in every arduous, desperate battle, bravely stepped forward to fight.

In the stele forest on the back of Qingliang Mountain, I wasn't striving to earn public favor or military loyalty for the Xu family. I simply wished for all the people of Beiliang Dao, who cannot hear the drums of war or see the smoke signals, to know precisely who died for them on the battlefield beyond the pass.

My conscience is clear in this life; how could I have any regrets?

Back on Wudang Mountain, as I stood shoulder to shoulder with the First Confucian Sage Zhang, gazing upon the human world, the old man mused, "I once led my disciples across myriad states, and having survived in Shangyin Academy until this day, I've prided myself on having read the most books and traveled the furthest in eight hundred years. Yet now, it is you, Xu Fengnian, who has journeyed the farthest."

Before that moment, Xu Fengnian had never truly considered how far he had traveled across the three regions of Beiliang, Liyang, and Beima combined.

If next year, a tombstone on Qingliang Mountain bears the name Xu Fengnian, it will not be alone. All around it will be the valiant heroes of my Beiliang!

Xu Fengnian turned to Tuoba Pusa and smiled faintly, "Don't worry, I'll definitely beat you until your own parents wouldn't recognize you."

Tuoba Pusa's figure shot backward, and he laughed heartily, "Then come and fight!"

Xu Fengnian's hands hung naturally at his sides, each palm holding a phantom sphere of purple lightning crackling with energy. Watching Tuoba Pusa retreat into the distance, he curled his lips. "What, not only do you want to stall for time, but you also plan to use Dong Zhuo's troops at Huaiyang Pass to encircle and kill me? To be frank, Tuoba Pusa, you are so much worse than Wang Xianzhi by..."

As Xu Fengnian vanished in a flash, only a single phrase lingered on the battlefield, its echo reverberating: "A hundred and eight thousand *li*!"

A continuous rumble of thunder echoed incessantly across the vast northern territories beyond the Beima army.

Just then, Jubei City's main northern gate swung wide open!

The Beiliang Iron Cavalry charged forth, smashing directly into the Beima infantry formation!

The eastern and western gates also opened, each unleashing five thousand elite, death-defying cavalry to charge out!

Approximately half an hour later, a robust figure, hurled from an immense distance, plummeted like a meteorite into the heart of the Beima army.

Within the deep crater lay Tuoba Pusa, a bloody, mangled mess, his fate unknown.

Above the human realm, beyond the Celestial Gate.

A total of eighty-one immortals, after emerging from the Celestial Gate in their divine forms, all, without exception, became scattered, fallen immortals.

The Peach Blossom Sword God.

His swordsmanship?

Heavenly!

He had previously been forced back three thousand *zhang* by twelve immortals, four of whom were Heavenly Sword Immortals. Yet, in the end, only the Peach Blossom Sword God from the human realm, sword in hand, returned to this very spot.

Deng Tai'a held the Tai'a Sword inverted in one hand, while raising the other, his two fingers poised as if lightly knocking on a door. He smiled and asked, "More guests have arrived. What now?"

Within that magnificent Celestial Gate, silence finally fell.

At this moment, Yu Xinlang had already returned to Jubei City, carrying the head of Zhong Liang from Beima.

Xu Yanbing requested a warhorse from the Beiliang border army and rode out of the city once more, spear in hand.

Sword Servant Cuihua, leaving behind the severely injured young Wu Family Sword Crown, wore iron armor on her face and carried the ancient sword Suwang on her back as she cleared a path for Jubei City's right-wing cavalry.

Zhu Pao Xu Ying and Miss Hehe rode together on a single horse, concealed within the left-wing cavalry.

The monumental battle for Jubei City, a fierce struggle of offense and defense, had now truly begun.