Chapter 373: Two Edicts

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**Traveling Alone to Beimang**By Fenghuo Xizhuhou

The area east of Iron Gate Pass, being favorable for cavalry charges, was naturally a deadly place. Two hundred light cavalry faced eight hundred, and the two hundred Imperial Guards showed no fear. Unlike previous years, when sons of influential families in the capital joined this royal elite army for an easy life, after Zhang Julu gained power, he personally reviewed the Imperial Guard's roster. Any descendant related to ministers or generals was expelled from the Imperial Guard overnight. That day, half of the military camp became empty. Many children from military families who had joined the army based on their true abilities were also not exempt. This made Zhang Julu very unpopular among the capital's civil and military officials. Several old generals, veterans of the Spring and Autumn campaigns, cursed him fiercely when they met. One old general, who lived on the same street, even blocked Zhang Julu's doorway to question the purple-bearded, blue-eyed man, demanding to know why his grandson, with his combat prowess, was deemed unfit to be an ordinary Imperial Guard soldier! Grand Secretary Zhang stepped out and calmly stated, "Your grandson certainly has the ability, but your great-grandson will surely not possess such skill later on. I am merely closing this door twenty years in advance." The old general, who still held an important position at the time, couldn't quite grasp this subtle, circuitous reasoning. Fortunately, he didn't dare to get violent with the Grand Secretary. He simply resolved to never interact with him again, and the once harmonious relationship between the two families even delayed a major celebratory marriage. It was only years later, after the old general retired from his position as the second-in-command of the Ministry of War, that he personally visited Zhang Julu to apologize. Fan group: 1681655.

The black-clad youth passed Fengzi Camp Commandant Yuan Meng and Qing Niao, confronting a middle-aged warrior who darted out from the cavalry formation. This Imperial Bodyguard carried a saber but didn't use it. After Xu Longxiang twisted and pulled his arms, the initially strong arms quickly withered, becoming horrifyingly emaciated. Once freed from the grip, the bodyguard immediately seized the initiative with a backhand, attempting to tear off the thin, sallow-faced youth's hands. Xu Longxiang allowed him to exert his powerful force, merely delivering a kick. The middle-aged bodyguard, who had been escorting Prince Zhao Kai all along and kept his skills hidden, originally intended to trade his life for Xu Longxiang's, sacrificing his arms to tear off Xu Longxiang's and then enduring a fatal kick to the chest. However, when his arms instantly swelled and bulged with astonishing force, like large bowl mouths, the youth remained utterly still. The bodyguard immediately released his grip, pressed down on the youth's toes with both hands, and used the leverage to leap into the air, dodging the deadly blow. The man, who hailed from a hidden sect in the martial world, crossed and struck his feet, ascending as if climbing a ladder. He was fast, but Xu Longxiang's hand was faster. He seized one ankle, pulled the man down, and delivered a knee strike. The man, who had immersed himself in secret martial arts manuals for years since entering the palace, put all his strength into an elbow strike, yet was still hit in the abdomen by the youth's knee. His muscular body floated backward. Fortunately, the cavalry behind him, with their superb horsemanship, quickly maneuvered around him. The man's fingers, like hooks, gripped the ground, dragging a trench several *zhang* long before stopping his retreat. His stomach churned, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. As the man stood up, a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.

Just as scholars could sell their talents to the imperial family, many top-tier warriors were naturally willing to offer their martial arts skills to the imperial court. Unlike the Xu family of Beiliang, who held no official power, if one possessed true ability and served in the imperial palace in the capital, an ordinary citizen could truly become a high-ranking official. This Gold Saber Bodyguard, who had been granted the imperial yellow by the emperor, was an exceptional success due to his outstanding martial arts. During a visit home, he recalled how his former sect had been suppressed and choked by the combined efforts of the prefect and a general. Upon his glorious return, adorned in imperial yellow, everything changed dramatically. The opportunistic prefect invited an elderly, respected scholar from the prefecture to write an inscription for a plaque and personally sent someone to deliver it to the sect for display. Originally, the bodyguard, restricted by palace rules, had no intention of confronting the prefect. After this, however, he brought a direct disciple of one of his sect's grand-uncles to the capital, who fortunately became the second Gold Saber Bodyguard. Fan group: 1681655.

The middle-aged Gold Saber Bodyguard slowly exhaled a turbid breath and, along with several other colleagues, surrounded the black-clad youth. The man thought to himself, "Even if I die here today, it will be worth it for my sect."

Xu Longxiang strode straight forward, his eyes fixed on the woman wearing a white kasaya.

Qing Niao, on horseback, was the first to charge into the formation. With her "Momentary Spear," she parried an enemy cavalryman's thrust to the face. With a slight flick of her wrist, using the "Drag Character Technique" combined with "Arc Character Spearplay," she pierced the heart of a seasoned cavalry general who had thought the encounter would end with a mere brush. With an arc of her spear, Qing Niao's "Momentary Spear" swept horizontally across the bodies of the Imperial Guards who followed, slicing them in half. She did not linger in battle; her reverse spear thrust only killed one cavalry general, and she did not use it again. Even if some Imperial Guards blocked her "Momentary Spear," she merely charged swiftly towards the carriage.

When the first wave of cavalry and spears clashed, over thirty bodies rolled onto the ground. Like two blades cutting into flesh, the two wounds continued to rapidly tear and expand.

Yuan Meng used his spear to unseat an enemy cavalryman. The Imperial Guard soldier, whose armor was pierced by a bleeding hole, was flung into the air. Another cavalryman, still capable of fighting, twisted his body in mid-air, intending to land, stabilize himself, draw his saber, and rejoin the battle. Unfortunately, before he could land, a White Horse Rider casually delivered a fierce strike that split his entire head. Fan group: 1681655.

Yuan Meng burst out laughing, "Hong Henzi, this head is yours! When we go back, don't be so damn stingy! Treat your Commandant Yuan to a good meal!"

The expressionless Hong Shuwen softly mumbled, "If you let me be a Deputy Commandant, I'll treat you to drinks with courtesans."

Yuan Meng had good hearing; even amidst the trampling horses and ongoing battle, he heard clearly and cursed with a laugh, "Bullshit! Talk to me about that when you've killed ten men!"

Hong Shuwen twisted his Beiliang Saber into an "inverted green onion" stance, ducked a spear, and, using the momentum of his charging warhorse, swiftly slid his saber along the spear shaft, slicing off the enemy cavalryman's arm before the infamous brute of Fengzi Camp then cleaved off half his head. The horse continued to gallop forward, but the man was already dead. Hong Shuwen, with another Beiliang Saber still at his waist, calmly stated, "That's two." Wang Chong, charging forward on horseback, glanced at a White Horse Rider who had died in front of him and gritted his teeth.

Suddenly, a red cloud floated above everyone's heads, descending towards the area outside Iron Gate Pass. As an Imperial Guard cavalryman fell to his death, he could vaguely discern the distant scene of a battle formation of flying swords against a national preceptor. Closing his eyes, he weakly cursed, "Damn you, you capital scholars! Didn't you all say the Beiliang heir only knew how to flirt and bully women?"

Xu Fengnian had seen "thunder pools" twice. Deng Tai'a's Thunder Pool Sword Array outside Wudi City had killed the Heavenly Human, Zhao Xuansu. The thunder pool within the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum, however, was broken by the devil Luo Yang, who merely plucked his sword. One formed, one broken. Xu Fengnian then developed his own flying sword thunder pool. He once told Xu Beizhi that within a thunder pool, whether a few *zhang* away or within a few *zhang*, killing with flying swords was effortless and absolutely decisive.

The ailing old monk in black initially paid no mind to the young Beiliang heir's words about revenge. A warrior whose internal energy circulation was sluggish—let alone for him, Yang Taisui—even a second-rank master could probably make Xu Fengnian suffer immensely. But when Xu Fengnian charged on horseback, and his sword energy instantly gushed forth like a breaching river, Yang Taisui was somewhat surprised. In recent years, Yang Taisui had stayed away from court disputes, traveling the martial world. With his profound cunning and extensive experience, he could discern the truth not far from the surface by sifting through fragmented whispers in the martial arts community, stripping away exaggeration and obscurity. However, he had originally expected that Xu Fengnian, who had been gifted the Grand Yellow Court by Wang Chonglou, would not have such depleted internal energy, nor such fierce sword energy. Fan group: 1681655.

Yang Taisui gently waved his sleeve again and again. The twelve flying swords bounced and leaped back each time. Xu Fengnian stopped his horse ten *zhang* away, his hands resting on Chunlei and Chunqiu respectively. He remained quiet, not uttering a sound or a word. This was the power of the Wu family's flying swords, which had reached the perfected "sword embryo" stage: wherever the mind directed, the sword's edge followed. Moreover, these twelve flying swords already embodied the lifelong efforts of the Peach Blossom Sword God, Deng Tai'a. Even though he had removed their "Ruyi Sword Embryo" before gifting them, the twelve flying swords themselves were already smooth and translucent.

"Return to origin," the old monk in black smiled and uttered. With one hand raised upright in a palm gesture at his chest, he flicked his sleeve, effortlessly sweeping six flying swords into it. His wide sleeve billowed, puffing up like a drum. Among the remaining six flying swords, Tai'a lunged towards Yang Taisui's brow. The old monk raised his hand and clapped, sticking to Tai'a. His body appeared to move slowly, yet this hand firmly adhered to and captured four flying swords in mid-air, including Tai'a. The remaining two swords, Zhuma and Taohua, successively struck the old monk's back. However, his kasaya merely rippled like water after a stone was thrown into a lake. Both Zhuma and Taohua returned without effect, only to be caught by four fingers of Yang Taisui's hand, which now gripped two swords. All twelve swords were now either in the old monk's sleeve or in his hand.

Yang Taisui looked at the young man, who remained unmoving on his horse, and softly asked, "Your Highness, might you withdraw now?"

Xu Fengnian quirked the corner of his mouth. "Not yet. You're not dead." He extended his hand and flicked his fingers in the air before him. Six swords were still confined by the black-clad old monk's fingers, but the six swords in his sleeve had already burst out. Yang Taisui let out a surprised sound and murmured to himself, "Is this 'Tapping fingers to sever longevity'?"

The Way is not exclusive to Taoism; the Three Teachings have always diligently sought their respective Ways. And Confucianism is not the same as the Confucian religion that set down numerous rules and boundaries after the Sage Master Zhang. If not for an unavoidable debt of gratitude, Cao Changqing would very much like to discuss with the White-Clad Military Sage the differences in their respective Paths. Cao Changqing's attainment of the Confucian Sage realm was thanks to the ruins of West Leibei, to the princess's remark that "rise or fall, the people suffer," and to the enduring scholarly spirit after the fall of Western Chu. Fan group: 1681655.

He was very curious why Chen Zhipao could bypass the Heavenly Phenomenon realm and directly enter the Land God realm. In fact, with Chen Zhipao's extraordinary talent, if he had followed the warrior's path step by step to the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, and then achieved Land God status as a Confucian Sage—a Confucian Sage combining the paths of the Three Teachings' saints and warriors—Cao Changqing might truly have no choice but to admit defeat. Currently, Chen Zhipao was in an unprecedentedly mysterious state, neither a pseudo-immortal nor like Wang Xianzhi, who attained transcendence through sheer power. What a pity. How good it would have been to wait another ten years. However, one thing the "Grand Official" could be certain of was that Chen Zhipao's silent attainment of sainthood was greatly related to the passing of the Dragon Tree Saint Monk of Liangchan Temple.

After a deep sigh, Cao Changqing reached out and grabbed. He uttered the "Chì" (decree/command) character that Xu Weixiong had been unable to say in time. A bolt of purple heavenly lightning was forcibly pulled down by him from the nine heavens. The reason Cao Changqing was renowned as the unrivaled master of the Heavenly Phenomenon realm naturally lay in his exceptional grace and power. Earlier, upon facing Cao Changqing, Chen Zhipao had gently dismounted, patted his warhorse, and let it go free. He looked up at the descending heavenly lightning. He abruptly plunged the dark purple "Plum Wine" spear into the earth. Cao Changqing smiled slightly, then uttered another "Chì" character, this time with his palm facing downward. "Emulating Heaven and Earth!"

Collapse repliesReply to Private-X-Exclusive: Actually, I wanted to grab the second comment spot. If no second spot, then third. No third! How about fourth? Still no! #Damn, I have to grab a spot, right?# (Angry emoji)Reply to Private-X-Exclusive: Actually, I wanted to grab the second comment spot. If no second spot, then third. No third! How about fourth? Still no! #Damn, I have to grab a spot, right?# (Angry emoji)Didn't get it...Squeeze in!Come and see!Bad...I'm just casually looking, not saying anything. Also, fifteen characters. Mainly to save face! Do you recognize me?Awesome!

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