Chapter 334: That Sword Piercing the Heart

Xu Fengnian looked at the woman in white seated on the dragon throne. She felt even more unfamiliar than when he had first seen Luoyang entering Dunhuang city. However, Luoyang was already an enigma, so this wasn't much of a surprise. Xu Fengnian looked around, knowing that the treasures within the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum wouldn't be limited to just the two dragon-scale python robes, a State-Suppressing Tiger Tally, and two shamanic armors different from the usual talismans. He believed there would be more substantial artifacts. Unlike the thin air outside, the tomb, though eerily dim, didn't feel suffocating. The yin creature, in its natural element, breathed deeply and exhaled minimally, as if each intake of breath could slightly increase its power. Its joyful aspect grew more joyful, and its compassionate aspect became more solemn. Meanwhile, Luoyang sat on the dragon throne, hands gripping the armrests, eyes closed, resting.

Xu Fengnian moved through the formations of terracotta figures, which included a vast array of chariots and cavalry. He stepped through a doorway into the left chamber, where an armory came into view. The bronze artifacts were heavily rusted. Xu Fengnian picked up a halberd head, wiped away the rust, and observed it intently. As the Crown Prince of Beiliang, his thoughts on the scene were far more profound than an ordinary person's. The Great Qin Dynasty was in a transitional period where hooking weapons were flourishing and thrusting weapons were gradually declining. Axes and battle-axes, the undisputed heavy armaments of various states before the Great Qin, were already beginning to fade from history. However, the Great Qin had standardized its weaponry, and its craftsmanship had reached an incredible level. Xu Fengnian put down the halberd head and picked up an arrowhead. It was almost identical to Beiliang's, relatively narrow and slender, with the tip already featuring highly penetrative rhomboid and triangular forms. It was laughable to think that during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, states like Southern Tang were still using double-winged arrowheads that had been obsolete for eight hundred years, and their tangs were far too short compared to Beiliang's, resulting in shallow penetration.

Xu Fengnian slipped the arrowhead into his sleeve, intending to show it to his master, Li Yishan. He then picked up a bronze short sword and gently rubbed his thumb across its blunted edge, noting a remarkably stable metallographic structure. Military texts described Great Qin's metallurgy as a harmonious fusion of gold and tin, with an ethereal quality. One couldn't help but marvel at the might of the Great Qin military. Xu Fengnian looked up and surveyed the armory, seeing a vast array of weapons: willow-leaf short swords from ancient Western Shu adorned with mysterious symbols, boot-shaped battle-axes from the Tang-Yue region, T-shaped picks from the Southwestern barbarians, and complete sets of armor and blunt weapons from the northern grasslands. The sheer variety was astounding, truly a convergence of all styles, a testament to the grandeur of a vast empire.

A dull thud echoed through the chamber. Xu Fengnian turned to see Luoyang, a gilded tiger tally hanging from her waist, followed by two shamanic armored puppets. "Those ordinary Great Qin famous swords are now outdated," Luoyang said indifferently. "However, there are a few short swords crafted from meteorites, similar to Li Chungang's Wooden Ox. If you don't mind the effort, you can take them."

Following Luoyang's pointing arm, Xu Fengnian indeed found three black-lacquered, ancient-style sword cases, unique to the Great Qin. He opened them and examined the swords, each exuding a formidable sword presence. Tearing off a strip of his robe to use as a strap, he consolidated the three swords into one case and tied it to his back. Luoyang smiled mockingly. "To the right is the treasury, where gold sand is piled mountain-high. If you possess the power to move mountains and overturn seas, feel free to try."

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "I can't move it, and I won't leave it for Beiman. I'll destroy it before we leave the mausoleum. You won't stop me, will you?"

Luoyang offered no reply.

Xu Fengnian headed towards the right-hand treasury. As far as his eyes could see, everything glittered with golden brilliance. Xu Fengnian suddenly turned and asked, "Can the Zhong and Lu families still get in?"

Luoyang smiled. "I certainly hope they can."

"And when they do," Xu Fengnian pressed, "will you be able to stop them from leaving?"

Luoyang toyed with the State-Suppressing Tiger Tally in one hand. Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Fengnian noticed her hand glowing with golden light from the tally, countless golden threads coiling around her arm before seeping in and vanishing. Xu Fengnian pretended not to see it and asked curiously, "Is what we're seeing the entirety of the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum?"

Luoyang stamped her foot and sneered, "There are three more levels below. One is a miscellaneous storage area, another holds coffins, and the lowest supports the entire mausoleum with a talisman array. You don't need to see the next level; empty coffins are uninteresting. And if we go to the very bottom, both of us will be seeking our own deaths."

"Oh," Xu Fengnian said, "then I'll go check the next level. Wait here for a moment."

"It's time to go," Luoyang stated calmly.

Xu Fengnian frowned. "Have you found a way out?"

Luoyang's eyes were cold. "That's your responsibility."

"What about that yin creature?" Xu Fengnian suddenly asked. "Don't let it cause trouble for us."

Luoyang didn't answer. With no lingering interest in the treasury, she returned to the main tomb. This time, she didn't sit on the dragon throne, instead gazing at the terracotta figures buried with the emperor. Xu Fengnian sat on the steps, pondering their escape route. Logically, the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum would surely have no planned exit. After the bronze door was dismantled into armor, Luoyang had recalled Tai'a, the sword that had suppressed the array. Light exploded, and the Thunder Pool had already collapsed with a roar, merging with Heshan Mountain. Not to mention Xu Fengnian, even Luoyang didn't possess the ability to carve open a mountain. The corridor they came through was made of material far harder than metal or stone. Slowly digging their way out would be a cumbersome method, but Xu Fengnian was willing to do it to survive, and the demonic woman would likely stand by and watch. However, it would take ages for Xu Fengnian to dig his way to the Yellow River cliffs.

Since entering the mausoleum, Xu Fengnian had sighed countless times. He looked down at the green python robe he was wearing, then removed the sword case and drew a short sword. He swiped it across the robe several times, but it left no mark. When the sword edge touched the green armor, no sparks flew. The green armor seemed like a living, intelligent entity that understood how to overcome hardness with softness; it would slightly depress, then instantly restore itself once the sword edge retreated.

Xu Fengnian looked over, observing the two ancient shamanic puppets behind Luoyang, similar to the red-armored talisman generals of later eras. Their iron armor encased the bones of generals; it was a pity he could only view them from a distance and not up close. He found it quite regrettable. Xu Fengnian always approached unknown things with a curious and investigative mindset, as long as it didn't delay the main task. And the main task now, of course, was to find a way to see the light of day again. However, this was similar to opening the bronze door—it required a flash of inspiration. Otherwise, like a headless fly, he'd wander around forever and never get out. Xu Fengnian appeared calm and composed, not agitated at all, thankfully, Luoyang wasn't rushing him either. She seemed like a traveler returning home after a long journey, observing every inch of her homeland. As for the yin creature, it was busy gorging on the dense, foul energy accumulated in the mausoleum for nearly a thousand years, nourishing its body. Xu Fengnian found it chilling to watch. If he were to fight it now, he would surely die. He patted the sword case resting across his knees, feeling a sense of helplessness. The martial artist's realm was concrete, progressing step by step, unlike the Sages of the Three Teachings, where there was no room for embellishment. A single level of difference meant a world of difference. As for monsters like Han Diaosi, who were skilled at killing beyond their realm, they couldn't be judged by ordinary standards. Xu Fengnian sat dazedly on the steps. He had found a blessing in disguise: the Tai'a sword had been tempered in the Thunder Pool, and its sword embryo had just formed. However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. This most destructive flying sword was suspected of having a mind of its own and favoring others, and Xu Fengnian suspected Luoyang would be more skilled at wielding Tai'a than he was.

Luoyang sat on a step higher than Xu Fengnian. The gilded tiger tally no longer glowed with its initial brilliance. Xu Fengnian was internally shocked: could one absorb not just qi, but also fate? This State-Suppressing Tiger Tally clearly contained the lingering fortune of the Great Qin Empire. How could an ordinary qi cultivator dare to attempt such a feat? One misstep, and they would be overwhelmed.

Without turning his head, Xu Fengnian asked directly, "Are you using the Fire Dragon Armor to counteract the influence of the fate contained within the tiger tally?"

Although Luoyang's temperament was unpredictable, when she chose to speak, she rarely beat around the bush and always spoke plainly. "You're not as foolish as I imagined."

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "You flatter me."

"Are you curious why I was so eager to fight Tuoba Pusa in the far northern ice plains before reaching the Earth Immortal realm?" Luoyang asked, her tone flat.

Xu Fengnian pressed his palm tightly against the sword case.

Luoyang continued without prompting, "The Dragon Pearl within me was already nearing full maturity and perfection. If it continued, it would become an old, withered pearl. That's why Hong Jingyan acted, but he overestimated himself and underestimated me. In Dunhuang city, the Dragon Pearl was shattered by Deng Tai'a, shortening my already limited lifespan even further. Originally, after battling Tuoba Pusa, regardless of the outcome, I would have died. To extend my life for a few years, I needed several extremely rare items. The State-Suppressing Tiger Tally in my hand is one of them, and the most beneficial. Five years. I can live for five more years. Five years still isn't quite enough, though."

Then Luoyang uttered an inexplicable remark: "It's always like this—ten years short, every time."

Without giving Xu Fengnian a chance to ponder, she pointed to the yin creature in the distance. "It's called Dan Ying, a puppet meticulously nurtured by the Princess Tomb for nearly eight generations. It has consumed the hearts and livers of many Taoist true immortals and eminent Buddhist monks, not to mention countless flesh and blood of martial artists. It can live for a very long time. Are you envious?"

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes. "Better to die than live. What's there to envy? Life and death are significant matters, but Confucianism also speaks of sacrificing one's life for righteousness. I don't have that kind of enlightenment, but I genuinely feel that many things are indeed more terrifying than death itself. My master once said that if cultivating the Tao is only for achieving immortality, then it's a heterodox path. If cultivating Buddhism is only for becoming a Buddha, that too is an obsession."

For the first time ever, Luoyang nodded in approval. "You always mention this Li Yishan. In my opinion, he seems more like a true master than Li Chungang."

Xu Fengnian laughed sheepishly. "My master and the old man in sheepskin are fundamentally different people; it's not fair to compare them. You only have such a strong opinion of Old Sword God Li because you haven't met him. If you truly had, I think you'd regret not having met that scruffy old man sooner."

Luoyang changed the subject. "Don't you want to be emperor?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head. "I'm not cut out for it."

Luoyang reverted to her old ways. "Indeed, you don't have the ability."

Xu Fengnian suddenly smiled knowingly. "Let's not talk about that. I just remembered a categorization of women a friend once shared. As they say, 'joy shared is joy doubled,' so let me tell you. That guy went through a lot of hardships, though most of it was due to his own unrequited efforts, but his insights were quite interesting. He said he most disliked three types of women. The first he called 'Orchid Bitches,' like secluded orchids in a deep valley. They're often fairy-like heroines from noble clans, so ethereal they seem to float, making everyone believe they don't even eat or excrete. The second type he called 'White Flower Bitches.' They come from humble backgrounds, and their trump card is to appear pitiful and delicate, like a pear blossom adorned with rain. They usually have average looks and seem gentle, but once they start scheming, they can keep a man bewildered for years, even decades. The third type he called 'Heroic Woman Bitches.' They're boisterous, proclaiming with bold disdain that they swear, they like to hit people, they don't like slender figures, they prefer being buddies with men, and that fine arts like music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, and makeup can all go to hell."

Luoyang chuckled. "Do I count as the first type? Or a separate fourth type: 'Demoness Bitch'?"

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter. "That's too strong a word."

Luoyang merely dismissed it with a smile.

She stood up. "Let's go."

Xu Fengnian was utterly confused.

The demonic woman twitched the corner of her mouth. "I remember the way back."

Xu Fengnian had mixed feelings. "So, once we're out, I still have to go with you to contend with Tuoba Pusa?"

She sneered, "Complaining after getting a good deal, aren't we? If you weren't still somewhat useful, you'd be utterly dead by now."

Xu Fengnian smiled, secured his sword case, and even had the presence of mind to sing out a line in a Beiliang accent: "The longest journey in the world is the one that leads you further and further from home."

Although the yin creature Dan Ying was reluctant to leave the mausoleum, it understood what was important and followed Luoyang and Xu Fengnian toward the so-called way back.

When the Yellow River flowed backward, its surface wrinkled in layers against the current, and the water's force was exceptionally ferocious. Everyone witnessed it, and even Helian Wuwei couldn't believe it was Xu Fengnian's doing, only assuming it was the yin creature causing mischief at the riverbed, revealing its ferocious true nature.

The old Imperial Commissioner hurried to the waist-shaped bottleneck, standing silently by the stone cliff, his eyes dim. The powerful water plunged into the valley mouth, its roar deafening, so much so that the thunder of a thousand Jade Control Army cavalry hooves following behind was completely drowned out. Water mist soaked their clothes, and soon Helian Wuwei's robes were drenched. The dozen or so leading cavalry generals dismounted beside the old general, daring not to speak. Helian Wuwei withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Zhong Shentong. The two old foxes, both seasoned by decades in officialdom and battlefields, exchanged a knowing smile; everything was understood without words.

Helian Wuwei laughed out of sheer fury, annoyed at Zhong Shentong for refusing to help in a desperate situation. Zhong Shentong, however, felt perfectly justified. The yin creature's attack had been without warning, and if the Jade Control Army wanted to assign blame, it should be directed at the Princess Tomb, not the Zhong family. In the world of officialdom, everyone smiled outwardly while hiding a knife up their sleeve; simply not kicking someone while they were down was already a tremendous kindness. If that old man Helian dared to vent his anger on the Zhong and Lu families, his brother and he were not soft persimmons to be easily manipulated.

Unable to wait any longer, Helian Wuwei had no choice but to lead the Jade Control Army back.

Zhong Shentong waited even longer, and upon encountering his elusive younger brother, Zhong Liang, they also returned together.

The mountain closed up, making it impossible for any mechanism to reopen it.

They walked through the now-safe corridor. The dragon wall rotated, and Luoyang in her white robe and red armor, Xu Fengnian in his green armor, and the yin creature Dan Ying were all swept out with the dragon wall from the river cliff and into the river channel.

Xu Fengnian placed a palm slightly to the left of Luoyang's back, and a gold-threaded sword completely pierced the woman's heart.

As the figure in white fell into the river, she turned her head, smiling with narrowed eyes.