Chapter 122: Unloading Armor and a Fierce Smile

The young master, who had left the capital city and then the Shangyin Academy, remained seated on the Tianbo Kaijing Archway, swinging his legs. A slender reed pipe dangled from his mouth. His surname was Zhao, the imperial surname of the Emperor's family. His given name was Kai, chosen by his mother. It meant "standard script" (referring to Chinese calligraphy) and also "chaste tree." At first, he simply thought his mother wanted him to be upright like standard script, his character square and his actions straightforward, serving as a role model. Later, after entering the palace, he learned during several private visits with his Grand Master to his ancestors' graves that a chaste tree, planted by an old ancestor, stood in the Zhao family mausoleum. Its branches were straight and unyielding, thriving luxuriantly, just like the Zhao imperial family. However, Zhao Kai never felt much emotion when his Grand Master, gazing at the tree, earnestly lectured him about the Zhao clan's honor and disgrace. For him, this home was never as comfortable and secure as the thatched hut of his turbulent childhood escape. Thus, his doting Grand Master would often helplessly remark on his overly laid-back nature. Zhao Kai paid no mind; if not for his lack of ambition, the number of overt assassination attempts against him would surely have doubled by now.

The man who wielded power over the empire had six sons and one daughter. Including Zhao Kai, the illegitimate one, there were seven princes in total. Two of them had harbored murderous intent towards him and acted upon it, while most of the others, though inactive, also bore ill will. The only person Zhao Kai didn't dislike was his princess sister, who always challenged him. She was truly her father's cherished daughter. Although her temper was fiery and unruly, it was always displayed openly. Whenever they met by chance, Zhao Kai would tease her about the tiny freckles on her nose, always succeeding in provoking her. She had thrown and shattered at least eight or ten luminous pearls at him over time. She was truly an impractical girl; any man who married her would be in for trouble.

He lowered his gaze to the last Talisman Armor Red Guard at his feet. It resembled a divine general summoned from the heavens by a Daoist immortal, standing ten feet tall, its hands pressed on the hilt of the Dragon Labyrinth Sword, which was plunged directly into the earth. This was the Golden Armor, the strongest and most indestructible of the five Talisman Armors, possessing immense combat power. Its Dragon Labyrinth Great Sword, in particular, emitted an unrestrained and powerful sword aura. This sword had never been publicly revealed. Zhao Kai had begged his Grand Master to commission an old sword-smith to forge it, a process that took five years of painstaking effort. For every inch forged, the sword aura grew by three points. When it was half-forged, the smith dared not continue. Zhao Kai later overheard that his Grand Master had captured the old smith's family, killing one person each day. Only when the grandson remained did the smith resume forging. When the Dragon Labyrinth Sword was finally completed, the smith pleaded with the Grand Master to spare his grandson's life. The Grand Master nodded. The old smith then leaped into the sword furnace and committed suicide, but his grandson was immediately strangled by the Grand Master. Upon hearing this, Zhao Kai said nothing, only feeling a profound sense of guilt.

The Grand Master was not like the Second Master, a Buddhist Bodhisattva. He was a formidable figure, subtly referred to by the court as second only to the emperor, having commanded ten thousand eunuchs for over twenty years. He was Han Diaosi, reviled as the "Human Cat," a grandmaster-level expert who had once flayed the Talisman Armor Red Guards alive. Zhao Kai had personally witnessed a group of assassins all killed by his Grand Master's left hand, which was wrapped in three thousand red threads. With a single finger, he decapitated each one, brutally killing them without a trace of emotion. The Grand Master always remembered to smile at him. Zhao Kai never found the Grand Master's demeanor sinister, just as his mother, even when critically ill and emaciated, had remained the most beautiful woman in the world in his eyes.

Zhao Kai, still holding the reed in his mouth, softly remarked, "Fighting in the reed marshes, the Wood Armors have a tactical advantage. It's a pity my younger brother-in-law arrived too early. In autumn, the reeds are flammable, and the Fire Armors' power would double. If the Water Armor hadn't been destroyed by the old sword god, those few Northern Liang retainers would surely have met their end. There would have been no need for me to secretly send the Earth Armor for an assassination; the Golden Armor could have openly crushed them. Wouldn't you agree, Little Gold?"

The Talisman Armor Red Guards were already deceased before being clad in armor, so naturally, there was no response. The corpse within the Red Armor beneath Zhao Kai's feet had a particularly sensitive origin; in life, he was one of the rare first-rank Vajra Realm experts. Unfortunately, he encountered Han Diaosi, the foremost Finger Mystery Realm practitioner, and met a tragic end. Zhao Kai once asked his Grand Master about the power of the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm. The Grand Eunuch smiled and said that in time, his old servant would defeat enemies with both hands, but killing Heavenly Phenomenon Realm masters with Finger Mystery Realm skill was far more interesting. Zhao Kai thought, "My Grand Master is truly formidable." He gently blew away the reed, stretched, and casually looked towards the Wood and Fire Armors, where the battle was deadlocked nearby. Since the Wu Family Sword Mound and Wang Mingyin were taking the lead today, Zhao Kai decided not to steal their thunder. As long as he and the four Armors made an appearance, it would be a concrete form of deterrence and threat. Sitting prominently on the most eye-catching archway as bait was perfectly acceptable.

Lu Qiantang entered the reed marsh with a resolve to die. Their four men against the four Armors clearly offered no chance of victory. The Crown Prince's intention was easy to grasp: hold them off for as long as possible. Outside the reed marsh, Li Chungang was engaging Wu Liuding, a junior in the Way of the Sword, with an eighty percent chance of success. General Ning Emei, with his great halberd, a hundred light cavalry, and the unfathomable maid Qingniao, had at least a fifty-fifty chance of winning. As long as the two battlefields near the Crown Prince were victorious, the overall situation would be decided. What if the four men in the reed marsh fought to the death? This scenario had been prepared for mentally ever since he personally saw the King of Northern Liang at Tide-Listening Pavilion. How many young masters from noble families and influential clans weren't ruthless and cold-hearted figures? Even if they lacked the grand strategies of their fathers, their temperament and disposition were fully inherited.

The old Daoist Wei Shuyang, of the Nine-Dou Rice sect, did not directly participate in the battle, merely watching with composure, hands tucked into his sleeves.

The heavy lifting had to be done by Lu, Yang, and Shu. There was no alternative; even a blind man could see that the old Daoist held more weight in the Crown Prince's heart than the three of them combined. Fortunately, one Talisman Armor Red Guard beneath the archway was guarding the seemingly carefree young man seated atop it, leaving only two puppets, imbued with Buddhist and Daoist powers, for them to face. As for the Earth Armor, it was likely hidden underground, waiting for a crucial moment to deliver a fatal blow. Lu Qiantang, without hesitation, advanced first with his sword, engaging one Red Armor alone. The plump Shu Xiu and Yang Qingfeng, with his remarkably pale hands, teamed up against the other. Perhaps knowing his chances of survival were slim, Lu Qiantang did not falter; instead, his fighting spirit surged. The sword intent he had comprehended while observing the tides at Guangling was originally from the lineage of the Old Sword God. Li Chungang's two-hundred-foot sword strike over the river had greatly benefited Lu Qiantang. With a single sword strike, all his past burdens vanished. The Scarlet Cloud Great Sword in his hand surged forward relentlessly. Regardless of how thick-skinned the Red Armor in front of him was, Lu Qiantang simply channeled the hardships and frustrations of forty years into his sword. Each collision between the Red Armor and the great sword produced a shower of sparks.

Shu Xiu struck the chest of a Talisman Armor Red Guard with both palms, applying sudden force, but it only caused the figure to sway slightly. The agile and elusive Yang Qingfeng kicked the armored figure's head, yet it remained motionless. It extended an arm to snap Yang Qingfeng's calf, but the latter swiftly retreated using the momentum of his kick. Seizing the opportunity, Shu Xiu unleashed a series of continuous blows on the Red Armor, each more forceful than the last. Such fierce attacks seemed incongruous with her delicate figure. Each impact produced a dull thud, finally forcing the Red Armor to retreat, leaving a mark on the ground.

The charming woman, a defector from the Southern Frontier Witch Sect, felt indignant and cried out, "Yang, how dare you let a woman stand in front? Did you expend all your strength on some woman's belly last night?"

After falling like a leaf to the ground, Yang Qingfeng instantly arched his back like a leopard and charged again, kicking the Red Armor's waist. In response to Shu Xiu's taunts and curses, he merely murmured, "Your old mother..."

Upon hearing this, Shu Xiu became furious, but could only vent her anger on the Red Armor in front of her. A hint of ferocity appeared on her beautiful face as she pressed one palm against the Red Armor's chest, swiftly stacking her other hand over the back of the first, and roared, "Die!"

With a loud thud,

The Talisman Armor Red Guard finally toppled backward, crashing down and leaving a large crater.

It was at this precise moment, in this very place,

Shu Xiu and Yang Qingfeng swiftly retreated together. Shu Xiu shouted loudly, "Old Daoist Wei!"

The sorcerer Wei Shuyang narrowed his eyes and smiled. His footwork was fluid and graceful, like treading upon the celestial stars of the Dipper. His solemn Daoist robe billowed around him. Finally, with two fingers pointing skyward in one hand and the other arm crossed, he chanted, "Without treading the Heavenly Gang, no soldiers move."

As Wei Shuyang stamped his foot down,

Thirty-six peach wood swords burst from the ground in a circle around the Red Armor, which had just begun to rise, and hovered in mid-air.

This was certainly not the skill of a sword immortal who could summon flying swords from a thousand miles away to take heads, but rather a wondrous Daoist art. Since Daoism took it upon itself to slay demons and banish evil, it naturally possessed profound mystical powers. The thirty-six swords, at the flick of the old Nine-Dou Rice Daoist's finger, pointed downwards in unison, angled towards the Talisman Armor Red Guard on the ground. The old Daoist, who had meticulously studied magic for half his life, chanted a silent incantation, and the sword array rapidly descended. Strangely enough, the Water Armor encountered on the small path earlier, which had remained undamaged even by horse collisions and Lu Qiantang's great sword—apart from being broken by Li Chungang's water-bead finger skill and the umbrella transformed into a whirlwind—was now being pierced, sword after sword, by the peach wood blades. All thirty-six swords impaled the Talisman Armor Red Guard, turning it into a porcupine. Wei Shuyang's methods did not stop there. By recalling the Crown Prince's descriptions of the talismanic patterns on the Water Armor, he could infer how these Talisman Armor Red Guards circulated their vital energy. The old Daoist then crooked his fingers again, driving two peach wood swords, previously stuck in its waist, several inches deeper into the armor. He stated in a deep voice, "Yang Qingfeng, take these two swords and dismantle the armor!"

Yang Qingfeng retreated, then returned, grabbing the two peach wood swords with both hands and slashing forcefully, directly cutting the Red Armor in half at the waist.

The Talisman Armor Red Guard, an almost immortal fierce demon, finally ceased its movements.

Wei Shuyang sighed in relief. Seeing that the unfamiliar young master on the Tianbo Kaijing Archway still showed no reaction, he paused for a moment in thought, then exclaimed in shock, "This is bad! Yang Qingfeng, go tell His Highness to be wary of the Earth Armor!"

Zhao Kai, on the archway, frowned and muttered to himself, "They've noticed?"

He looked down and chuckled, "Little Gold, I didn't expect Little Wood to be incapacitated by that sorcerer before it even had a chance to act. Go, avenge Little Wood."

To be a general in Northern Liang and not dare to charge into battle was simply a joke. From King Xu Xiao of Northern Liang to the Butcher Chen Zhibao, and then to the White Bear Yuan Zuozong, who was unrivaled with his silver spear—who among them wasn't a brave man leading from the front? Facing the incomparably courageous Wang Mingyin, Ning Emei dragged his halberd forward, mounted on a heavily armored warhorse. The great halberd general commanded that the crossbows behind him continue firing without pause, regardless of whether they might accidentally injure him. Ning Emei intended to wear down this top martial artist of the world. He spurred his horse towards the approaching Wang Mingyin. In their narrow encounter, Ning Emei's crescent-headed iron halberd accurately thrust towards the man's chest. On the Northern Liang border, countless Beiliang enemies had been impaled and lifted into the air by his halberd.

Wang Mingyin paused briefly, extended an arm, and slammed a fist onto the iron halberd. The great halberd vibrated, but Ning Emei did not let go; however, its tip was forced downwards. Wang Mingyin leaped into the air and kicked Ning Emei off his horse.

Ning Emei proved himself a truly formidable general. The iron armor on his chest bore a huge indentation from Wang Mingyin's kick, yet he didn't fall after landing from his horse. He dragged his heavy halberd along the ground to dissipate the force from the martial artist. When he stood firm, a distinct trickle of blood was visible at the corner of Ning Emei's mouth. Wang Mingyin seemed not to have expected this Northern Liang military officer to remain standing. A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes, and he did not rush to attack. He paid no heed to the powerful crossbow bolts; once an arrow neared him, he simply brushed it aside with ease. The sharp arrows from the 'Mountain-Splitting' crossbow were, to him, like harmless, softly drifting catkins that dispersed with a mere flick. Seeing Wang Mingyin stand motionless, Ning Emei violently plunged his great halberd into the ground, removed his helmet with both hands, discarded his satchel filled with short halberds, and then boldly stripped off his armor.

Wang Mingyin remained expressionless until the brave general re-pulled his great halberd from the ground; only then did he step forward.

Ning Emei, facing the world's eleventh-ranked warrior alone as if defending a pass against a thousand, also charged forward in silence.

Indeed, killing was just killing. Why bother with so much seemingly heartfelt nonsense? A straightforward fight was all that was needed. Was there any need for mutual praise or denigration?

Ning Emei's great halberd, wielded from dismounted, still carried astonishing momentum. Chopping, thrusting, hooking, and pecking—it moved with perfect fluidity. The nearly hundred-pound halberd flowed with complementary yin and yang in his hands. Wang Mingyin maintained his stern, unyielding face, like that of a poor peasant. When the great halberd delivered a fierce sweeping attack, he raised his arm to block. The rigid halberd shaft was visibly bent into an arc under the pressure. At its limit, the halberd sprang back with speed. Ning Emei used the momentum to spin his body, his feet twisting a circular hollow into the ground. The great halberd carved a large circle in the air, producing a sharp whistling sound. The crescent-headed iron halberd struck towards Wang Mingyin again. The latter, who had consistently fended off attacks with a single hand, now gripped the halberd with his left palm, his right hand wrapping around to meet his left, palms facing each other. In a flash, he exerted sudden force. The crescent head of the halberd was twisted half a turn by Wang Mingyin. Because Ning Emei refused to release the halberd, even as blood burst from his palms and his burly frame was spun in a wide arc, the soles of his shoes instantly shredded, and dust swirled around him.

Wang Mingyin, who had earlier declared his intent to borrow the Crown Prince's head, finally spoke for the second time: "Lend me your halberd."

Immediately, Ning Emei's great halberd flew from his grasp, and his thick arm, which had held it, dropped limply, blood dripping from it.

Wang Mingyin, having seized the great halberd, did not use it. Instead, he hurled it away.

It impaled a Northern Liang light cavalryman, who was holding a crossbow in the distance, pinning him entirely from his horse into the ground.

The halberd tip pointed skyward, the corpse lay beneath it, and the shaft trembled slightly.

Ning Emei did not even glance at the predictable horror, drawing his Northern Liang blade with his left hand.

Wang Mingyin asked, "You won't retreat?"

Ning Emei's lips moved slightly, but no sound was heard.

The gleaming Northern Liang blade in his hand showed no sign of being sheathed.

Wang Mingyin sighed softly and walked towards this general, who was truly worthy of Northern Liang Iron Cavalry's reputation, resolved to kill him. Although this would delay his mission to claim the Northern Liang Crown Prince's head, it was clear that these Northern Liang soldiers would fight to the death.

In front of the carriage, Pei Nanwei was utterly shocked by the scene before her.

First, an unidentified assassin attempted to emerge from the ground to stab Xu Fengnian. Then, the Crown Prince, whose sword seemed merely decorative, struck downward with a single thrust. Even if Pei Nanwei wasn't an expert, she could feel that the strike was far from a mere show. If it were just this, Pei Nanwei would have preferred to turn and watch the duel between the two swordsmen at the end of the official road, or observe how the peasant-like man broke through the formation of Northern Liang Iron Cavalry. However, the assassin underground seemed proficient in Qimen Dunjia, not just hiding beneath the surface but moving freely there. After being forced back by Xu Fengnian's thrust, he immediately burst out of the ground nearby again. Xu Fengnian's Embroidered Winter Blade then swept horizontally, directly striking the Talisman Armor Red Guard's waist and sending countless sparks flying.

With a surge of energy to the Huangting.

The faint purple mark on Xu Fengnian's brow became even more distinct.

Xu Fengnian's strike found its mark. His single-handed grip on Embroidered Winter instantly shifted to a two-handed hold. Instead of retreating, he advanced, staying within five paces of the Earth Armor within the Talisman Armor Red Guard. Why take ten steps to kill?

With both hands on Embroidered Winter, he unleashed a brilliant streak of light, drawing it from the Red Armor's head down to its waist, creating another long trail of dazzling sparks.

This very strike was honed by chopping waterfalls on Mount Wudang.

The Earth Armor slammed down a fist, but Xu Fengnian had already smoothly retracted his blade. Its trajectory was exceptionally graceful; the force exerted was fierce, yet there was still ample power held in reserve.

The reserved power was for the next strike. Why had Xu Fengnian chosen to practice moving sword techniques instead of stationary ones when selecting secret manuals on the mountain? It was because he favored the relentless, chilling satisfaction of the "rolling blade" technique, which was similar to moving swordplay. Xu Fengnian gripped Embroidered Winter, and without hesitation, thrust it forward with the momentum of a startling rainbow piercing the sun. This was clearly the most decisive and domineering "Whale-Piercing" strike from the *Whale-Slaying Swordplay* of the Forbidden Mountain Villa. Executed with a blade, it possessed the same heroic grandeur. The tip of the Embroidered Winter Blade pierced the Talisman Armor Red Guard's chest. Xu Fengnian seemed not to feel the skin tearing and blood covering the hilt in his palm. He thrust straight through, never retracting. The Earth Armor's heavy feet slid backward, sliding further and further.

The Whale-Piercing strike succeeded.

His two-handed grip reverted to a single hand.

Spring Thunder burst from its scabbard.

In Xu Fengnian's left hand was the ancient Spring Thunder, and with its very first draw, he unleashed "Stacked Thunder," the most exquisite sword technique from the *Green Water Pavilion's Sixty-Year Sword Practice Record*, showing no mercy.

In an instant, six thunderous sounds stacked up.

All of them crashed onto the Earth Armor's waist.

After "Stacked Thunder" and the "Whale-Piercing" strike by Embroidered Winter, Xu Fengnian employed the peerless sword technique from *The Thousand Swords Compendium*. Spring Thunder, without pause, then delivered the "Armor Overturn" move, a technique from the previous generation's Wu Family Sword Mound Sword Servant, Zhao Yutai.

The Earth Armor stumbled backward.

Next, Xu Fengnian executed sixteen consecutive strikes in one fluid motion.

Each strike embodied the essence of his predecessors' painstaking efforts.

When Xu Fengnian finally retreated, although the Talisman Armor Red Guard showed no complete signs of defeat, it was utterly devoid of its previous imposing presence.

Pei Nanwei saw the Northern Liang Crown Prince standing elegantly with two blades, one long and one short, but could only see his profile.

He was grinning sinisterly.