Chapter 412: That Year Western Chu Lost Its Kingdom

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Fenghuo Xizhuhou

There's an old saying: "Things don't happen more than three times." Yet, this West Chu remnant was now making his fourth visit to the imperial palace. This time, however, when Master Cao Changqing stepped into Tai'an City, he was accompanied by a young woman. She hovered on her sword, her robes fluttering. Even officials with a hint of scholarly elegance were momentarily entranced; could a woman capable of toppling cities and nations be anything more?

After over a thousand people collectively regained their senses, the military officials instantly shifted from an east-west alignment to a north-south division. The generals, led by the two Vice Ministers of War, Lu Baijie and Lu Shengxiang, along with several veteran grand generals, hurried south, while the civil officials retreated north. Another two hundred people moved either extremely quickly or extremely slowly. Those with hurried steps were the next generation of West Chu remnants, adaptable and quick to shift with the wind, only wanting to distance themselves, fearing they would get into trouble. The older generation, in stark contrast, almost simultaneously burst into tears, covering their faces with their sleeves as they stumbled back. Dozens of elderly individuals wept openly on the spot. Some trembling younger family members tried to offer support, but without exception, they were angrily brushed off by the elders, leaving the young talents who had finally secured a place in the imperial court feeling ashamed and mortified.

Many West Chu remnant officials, who had been integrated into the Liyang court despite past grievances, also sighed with complex emotions. Of the eight states that fell during the Spring and Autumn era, all slowly integrated into Liyang, except for West Chu, where "remnants still ran rampant," constantly hoping for a resurgence.

The Liyang Emperor was the first to step out of the grand hall. Surprisingly, Emperor Zhao, who had been defied repeatedly, did not show anger. Instead, he laughed loudly, "What a grand West Chu homage to Tai'an City, Master Cao!"

Cao Changqing wore a simple green robe, his temples streaked with white. If not for his current position high above the imperial city walls, he would have seemed no different from a poor old scholar from the Hanlin Academy.

Emperor Zhao continued to laugh heartily, "It is indeed a fortunate event for our Liyang Dynasty to have both the white-robed monk who brought the Yellow River to the Northern Barbarian Daoist Sect and Master Cao, who broke through eighteen gates to enter our city."

At these words, the previously anxious military officials in the square felt reassured and smiled broadly. A brilliant and ambitious emperor should possess such magnanimity.

Cao Changqing calmly said, "I await your return courtesy."

Curses immediately erupted from below Master Cao, reviling him for being ungrateful. Most of these words came from civil officials, while many military generals were so enraged their hair seemed to stand on end, regretting not having weapons. However, fearing Cao Changqing's reputation as a Confucian Saint, they dared not act rashly, lest they fail to gain merit and instead be ridiculed.

With a whoosh, someone turned their head first, then everyone else turned, looking at the majestic man in red python robes dragging a spear. He ascended the steps, the tip of his Plum Wine Spear pointing towards the ground. After reaching the Emperor's side, he spun the spear and thrust its hilt into the ground.

One man guarded the pass. The plum green turned to purple.

With the War Saint Chen Zhibao guarding him, Emperor Zhao's heroic spirit soared. He squinted down at Grand General Gu Jiantang below the steps. The position of Liyang's foremost military expert had remained unshakeable until now. When Chen Zhibao entered the capital, everyone eagerly awaited a contest between the two to determine who was superior. However, unexpectedly, the new and old Ministers of War were not at odds; instead, there were rumors of Gu Jiantang personally bringing wine to Chen's residence for a gathering and drinks. Gu Jiantang saw the Emperor's gaze, nodded slightly, gripped his saber hilt, and strode forward. The military officials retreated in succession. Gu Jiantang did not immediately draw his Nanhua saber. Everyone knew that Gu Jiantang possessed a pair of sabers. This Nanhua saber came from the inner palace collection of the Eastern Yue imperial family. It was indeed a talismanic saber, having been repeatedly blessed with talismans by successive Daoist National Preceptors of Eastern Yue. Although Eastern Yue had been a renowned sword-producing region since ancient times, the Nanhua saber had still taken the title of Weapon King. It was known as one of the "Twin Talismans" along with Wang Xiaoping's Wudang talismanic sword, Shentu.

Directly south of the palace wall were Cao Changqing, who had arrived on foot and unarmed, and the exiled princess Jiang Si, who rode on her sword. To the east was "Plain King" of the Wu Family Sword Tomb, whose attempts to stop them had been unsuccessful. Behind him was a large beehive woven from eight hundred Wu family heirloom swords, created by the Sword Tomb's unique sword-mastery technique. To the west stood Zhao Danping, the "Azure Lyric Prime Minister" from Longhu Mountain. This Grand Celestial Master, a feathered-robe minister, stood shoulder to shoulder with a burly old man whose identity was unknown to the public. The old man had a great sword strapped diagonally across his back, nearly twice the length of a typical ancient sword. Two rows of Imperial Guards, holding ceremonial halberds with colorful embroidery, stood unmoving at the base of the wall.

"Gu Jiantang will offer the first return courtesy."

After Gu Jiantang spoke, he extended an arm, and a ceremonial halberd flew from an Imperial Guard's hand. Gu Jiantang, the foremost saber user in the world, strode forth, grasped the rapidly approaching halberd, and with a soft shout, hurled it like a thunderclap towards Cao Changqing on the wall.

Cao Changqing, in his green robe, took a step, hovered in the air, and, joining his index and middle fingers, lightly raised them towards the tip of the halberd that was surging forth with the force of thunder.

The one-and-a-half-zhang ceremonial halberd didn't break inch by inch; instead, it disintegrated, fracturing millimetre by millimetre into dust. Not a single strand of Cao Changqing's hair was ruffled.

"Zhao Danping will offer the second return courtesy."

The ethereal Zhao Danping, wearing a yellow and purple Daoist robe, seemed to float. He raised his large sleeve and unleashed nine peach wood swords adorned with talismans. Nine flying swords—a truly immortal technique of the Daoist sect for seeking longevity—appeared with his very first move.

Cao Changqing sneered, "You chant ancient words, yet act only for yourselves. How can you truly seek longevity?"

The great Master, renowned for possessing eight-tenths of the world's scholarly elegance, extended a finger and lightly tapped.

Eight of the nine swords turned on each other, shattering in mid-air. The last sword, struggling, reached Cao Changqing. Even the weak civil officials, powerless to tie a chicken, could see it was at its last gasp. Cao Changqing's unretracted finger flicked it, and the peach wood sword instantly reversed its tip, sweeping towards Zhao Danping with such speed it was like the difference between a chicken and a hawk. Zhao Danping's brow furrowed deeply. The flying sword had emerged from his sleeve with extraordinary grace, but its return was marked by complete disarray. Though the flying sword re-entered his sleeve, everyone could see his Daoist robe's wide sleeves billow and shake, refusing to settle for a long time. It was said that this Grand Celestial Master was skilled at subduing demons, but how could he easily contend with a Confucian Saint's sword filled with vast righteous qi?

Both return courtesies were dissolved by the man in green with a mere flick of his finger.

Cao Changqing had passed through the imperial palace three times as if strolling through a corridor, but never under such public scrutiny. Aside from a few top experts lurking within the palace, like Eunuch Han Diao, no one had personally witnessed or experienced his power. During his second intrusion into the palace, three hundred armored Imperial Guards had blocked his path, but the man in green had simply torn through their armor. That time, had it not been for Eunuch Han Diao's unique advantage in wielding Profound Finger techniques against celestial phenomena, Emperor Zhao would likely still be surnamed Zhao, but not the emperor currently beside Chen Zhibao. Gu Jiantang, who had stepped forward with his saber, had only half-offered his courtesy before being interrupted by the Azure Lyric Prime Minister. Displeasure was subtly visible between his brows, yet out of respect for the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master, he forcibly suppressed his surging aura. Now, with the second return courtesy concluded, he leaped up, and with one strike of the Nanhua saber from its sheath, the world itself seemed to grow dim.

Cao Changqing, who had been floating in the air, took three steps. One hand was proudly clasped behind his back, while his right hand reached out to meet the Nanhua saber.

His palm went directly through the saber's aura and pressed against the Nanhua saber's blade!"My saber cleaves even saints," Gu Jiantang said lightly.

Gu Jiantang chuckled lightly. The Nanhua saber's aura vanished, leaving Cao Changqing to hold the blade. Gu Jiantang then gripped the hilt with both his left and right hands.

Cao Changqing frowned slightly, then instantly relaxed. His body spun like a top, ending upside down with his head towards the ground and feet towards the sky, his right hand still holding the Nanhua saber. A muffled clap of thunder then exploded in the sky.

A continuous rumbling filled the air. The sky was clear, without a single cloud for miles—truly a sudden, unheralded winter thunderstorm.

Cao Changqing, still holding the Nanhua saber, stood firm again. Gu Jiantang did not forcefully retrieve the saber; instead, he retreated two steps and landed gracefully.

Cao Changqing flicked his sleeve. His wide sleeve tore. Five more claps of thunder successively echoed in the sky.

Cao Changqing smiled faintly, "So this is the transcendent saber technique. Truly, Gu Jiantang, who makes his saber transcend and enter sainthood, lives up to his name."

He gently tossed the Nanhua saber towards Gu Jiantang, who had landed in the square.

Gu Jiantang did not make a fuss. He sheathed his ancient Nanhua saber and turned to walk away.

At this moment, everyone finally saw the "path" behind Cao Changqing, slanting towards the heavens. The cloud qi vibrated intensely, clearly visible even to the untrained eye.

On the steps, Chen Zhibao whispered to the Emperor, who then looked enlightened.

A "Land Immortal" is what the world calls a transcendent "Celestial Being." However, Cao Changqing, as a Confucian Saint, had not been in this realm for long, yet he had astonishingly almost reached the peak of the Earth Immortal realm. He was likely only one and a half realms away from the legendary Lu Zu, who passed through the Heavenly Gate and returned centuries ago.

Despite having received two full-force courtesies, Cao Changqing, whose sleeve was only slightly torn, maintained a calm expression.

Many officials in the square suddenly recalled a statement he made to the entire West Chu when he achieved sainthood at West Leibi, under the clear sky.

"Cao Changqing is willing to die to overturn the world, and willing to die to bring peace to heaven and earth."

Cao Changqing was already so nearly invincible,But immediately, everyone felt a sharp, bone-chilling sword intent.

Along the line of sight of the sword-riding woman, the civil and military officials instinctively moved aside to dodge.

Until one person "surfaced."Xu Fengnian of Northern Liang.

That year, West Chu fell.That year, she had dimples.That year, his hair had not yet turned white.