Chapter 417: True Martial Sees Me

Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "When will you go to the palace to meet the Emperor then?"

Li Yu Axe shook his head. "Since I've already slain the evil dragon of Dipei Mountain, the Zhenwu Emperor statue on the central axis should no longer show ill omens. I won't go to the imperial city to risk my cultivation. My sect-master uncle once told me that practitioners of our generation face seven perils, one of which is violating the covenant and revealing innocence. Committing this transgression, even with extraordinary appearances, makes it difficult to be listed among immortals. Although I don't aspire to pass through the Heavenly Gate and join the ranks of immortals, I am timid and fear going to the place with the strongest imperial aura and the heaviest Yin energy in the world. This trip to the capital was solely to meet His Highness and hear more stories about the two sect masters. After leaving the capital, I plan to wander the four directions, not hurrying back to Wudang. I hope to travel one hundred thousand li in ten years, resolving difficulties as I encounter them."

Wudang Mountain's disciples rarely appeared in the world, but when they did, they were seen as immortals.

First, Wang Chonglou walked the jianghu anonymously, aiding the distressed and rescuing the imperiled, severing the Canglan with a single finger. Later, Hong Xixiang's flying sword suppressed Longhu Mountain, and he was regarded by all qi practitioners as someone capable of overpowering the martial artist Wang Xianzhi.

Xu Fengnian joked, "What if you meet a woman you like in the jianghu, become a divine couple, or even decide not to be a Taoist anymore and never return to Wudang Mountain? Wouldn't your masters and senior uncles be furious enough to vomit blood?"

Li Yu Axe's face flushed. "I wouldn't dare."

Xu Fengnian caught a loophole in his words. "Not that you *wouldn't*, but that you *wouldn't dare*?"

Li Yu Axe sincerely replied, "I am far inferior to my sect-master uncle. I'm not skilled at divination and therefore don't understand heavenly secrets, so I truly dare not speculate on what the future holds. However, though I don't know many things about the world, I know best how I should act. If I were to truly encounter a woman I liked, I would only dare to let her remain a memory in the jianghu."

Xu Fengnian remained silent.

Li Yu Axe, unaccustomed to social niceties and unsure how to break the silence, stood up and bowed to take his leave. Xu Fengnian, regaining his composure, also stood up and saw him to the door. Li Yu Axe, with a common peach wood sword on his back, hesitated, then pointed at the old pagoda tree and softly asked, "Does Your Highness know that a qi practitioner tampered with that Dragon-Claw Pagoda Tree?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, his eyes dark. Li Yu Axe, relieved that he hadn't asked an unnecessary question, focused his energy and performed the Seven-Star Pacing step. His peach wood sword, devoid of any killing intent, slowly left its sheath and was inserted at the roots of the Dragon-Claw Pagoda Tree. The current Wudang sect master made a hand seal and softly chanted, "Expel ghosts, seize evil."

Liu Wenbao was startled and quickly moved away from the pagoda tree. The old scholar's knowledge was diverse, and while he was skeptical of Yin-Yang divination and Taoist arts, he dared not underestimate them. He watched with wide eyes but only saw the young Taoist demonstrate a remarkable sword-controlling technique, after which nothing else happened. It was all bark and no bite, leaving Liu Wenbao quite disappointed. Li Yu Axe frowned, approached the tree, bent his right thumb, and sliced it across his index finger. Blood flowed profusely, and he drew a talisman on the tree trunk. With a light pat, the talisman vanished. Li Yu Axe's expression, far from relaxing, grew even more solemn. After some thought, he interlaced his palms, bending his left thumb into his palm while the other nine fingers remained exposed.

Xu Fengnian was an outsider when it came to Taoist talismans. Behind him, Xuanyuan Qingfeng said in a flat tone, "This Taoist is using the Taiyi Lion Art. Legend has it that the mount of Taiyi Tianzun is a nine-headed lion, hence this art. His previous technique was for expelling ghosts, while the Lion Art is a method for inviting deities. Even a Taoist Master from Longhu Mountain would need the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to perform it in one go, which shows this Taoist's skill is considerable. Why is he so deferential in your presence? Is he truly the current sect master of Wudang Mountain?"

Xu Fengnian ignored her. Li Yu Axe, whose temper was usually incredibly mild, seemed to have grasped a clue after testing and realized the truth. For the first time, he subtly showed anger. "Clearly orthodox, yet resorting to unorthodox methods!"

Li Yu Axe waved a sleeve, and the peach wood sword beneath his feet shot up, soaring towards the palace. He formed an obscure hand seal at his chest, one that even Xuanyuan Qingfeng didn't recognize. With a solemn expression, he said in a deep voice, "Li Yu Axe, 36th generation sect master of Wudang, respectfully welcomes Zhenwu!"

Behind the three main halls of the Imperial Palace stood Zhenwu.

The majestic statue, three stories high, depicted Emperor Zhenwu guarding the North, commanding Xuanwu, and severing all evil in the world, clad in golden armor, wielding a sword, and treading upon a tortoise and snake. Since Li Yu Axe had gone to Dipei Mountain to confront the evil dragon, the Zhenwu statue had stopped shaking. Zhao Danping, the "Blue Scroll Prime Minister" who had been guarding the statue day and night, fearing its collapse, was now free. At this moment, Zhao Danping was accompanying His Majesty the Emperor to the Zhenwu Emperor statue to admire its grandeur. Besides this Grand Celestial Master, there was also Bai Yu, an outsider from the Celestial Master's Residence who had been granted the title "White Lotus Master" by the Emperor, and Zhao Ningshen, who had made a stunning name for himself among the 'Ning' generation. It was this young Taoist, often distracted and getting lost while wandering Longhu Mountain, who had once blocked a sword from the Peach Blossom Sword God Deng Tai'a when he ascended the mountain. It was also Zhao Ningshen who authored the *Laozi Hua Hu Jing*, criticizing Buddhism and creating momentum for the court's suppression of Buddhism.

The group was not grand in number, but their presence was unparalleled. The Zhao Emperor, three Celestial Masters from Longhu Mountain, and in addition, Sun Tanglu, who concurrently held positions as the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Directorate of Palace Attendants, along with several imperial diarists all around thirty years old. The new Crown Prince Zhao Zhuan was also among them, consulting with the White Lotus Master about Taoist cultivation. A debate between Buddhism and Taoism had just concluded. The Zhao Emperor remained impartial, simply listening quietly without speaking a word. Although it was called a debate, the monk with the peculiar monastic name, Yichan, seemed more to be chatting idly with Bai Yu. If not for Zhao Ningshen's decisive statement, Zhao Zhuan, who had been listening to the rambling for nearly two hours, would have dozed off. He had turned his head to yawn several times and was sharply noticed by Empress Zhao Zhi, who was present, and glared at him fiercely.

Zhao Danping and Zhao Ningshen simultaneously looked towards a certain location in the south of the city.

The White Lotus Master, whose eyes were strained from too much reading, squinted and also realized that an urgent situation had arisen. He glanced at Zhao Ningshen, whom he highly regarded, standing beside him. The latter discreetly extended a hand and quickly performed a finger calculation. Zhao Danping, even less concealed his indignation, appearing to outsiders like a Celestial Master from Longhu Mountain filled with righteous anger, like an immortal from heaven in a thunderous rage. Crown Prince Zhao Zhuan, who had previously been unconcerned, finally became alert, looking left and right. Such a "frivolous" heir apparent, if seen by ordinary citizens, would likely cause them to worry whether the world would remain peaceful in the future. The Zhenwu statue, which had finally become completely still, began to shake again, with increasing amplitude, more astonishing than ever before. Many hidden talisman arrays on the ground around the statue were pulled up and destroyed. Sun Tanglu, disregarding etiquette, shielded the Emperor, fearing the statue would collapse. Zhao Danping flicked the white horsetail whisk tucked into his arm, darted forward, stepped on the array's core, and stomped down, attempting to stabilize the meticulously arranged secret formation. Unfortunately, this time, his power finally proved insufficient. The Zhenwu Emperor statue actually detached from its base and slowly slid southward. Zhao Danping's face turned pale. He looked up and saw a peach wood sword flying, its tip turned south, as if it intended to go south with Emperor Zhenwu.

The Zhao Emperor's expression remained calm. He said softly, "Master Liuhao, destroy that sword."

This expert in the Celestial Phenomenon realm, who had contributed the most in the White Robe Case, quietly appeared behind the Emperor. Zhao Danping, struggling to suppress the unstable array, turned and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, you must not rashly move that peach wood sword, which has already entered the formation. Otherwise, the statue might collapse."

The Emperor's face was expressionless. He merely stared at the Feather-Robed Grand Councillor, who was skilled at writing beautiful odes. Sweat beaded on Zhao Danping's forehead, especially as Crown Prince Zhao Zhi let out a soft, unusually grating laugh.

Zhao Ningshen, who had always given the impression of being carefree and simple-minded, slowly walked out, blocking the statue's path. He looked up at the highest deity worshipped by the court and asked a childish question that sounded utterly absurd, "Who are you going to meet?"

The Zhenwu Emperor statue continued to slide southward, and Zhao Danping's steps were forcibly pulled in the same direction.

The Emperor softly asked, "White Lotus Master, can you tell me who Zhenwu truly is? Is it not the second son of the Xu family, who naturally possesses the strength of a dragon and an elephant?"

Bai Yu, dressed in plain white linen robes and shoes, shook his head apologetically. "Old Celestial Master Zhao Xihuan has always firmly believed that to be the case, but to me, Bai Yu, it doesn't seem so. I believe it's more like an evil dragon emerging from the river. As for who it specifically is, Bai Yu has no prophetic abilities and truly cannot guess."

The Emperor let out an "oh," not angered, and continued to ask, "Then who exactly can cause such a phenomenon?"

Bai Yu smiled. "This, Bai Yu does know. Judging by the style of the peach wood sword, it's Lü Zu's personal sword, passed down through generations of Wudang Taoists. When I was young, I admired the lingering charisma of Lü Zu, the Sword Immortal, and even carved one myself, but my talent was limited, and I couldn't master swordsmanship. This Wudang qi practitioner, if I'm not mistaken, should be Li Yu Axe, the new sect master who slew the dragon at Dipei Mountain."

The Emperor's expression deepened. "It's one thing for this Taoist to enter the capital without seeing me, as Wudang has an ancient ancestral rule against entering the imperial city. But Hong Xixiang brazenly forced his way into the city before, and now this young man acts disrespectfully after. Do they truly take my Tai'an City for a brothel or a pleasure house, thinking they can come and go as they please just because they have some background?"

Bai Yu smiled, dismissing the comment, and did not elaborate. Although he was half-blind, he was undeniably a discerning person in the world. He knew of the unsavory schemes of Zhao Danping, the elder from the Celestial Master's Residence, who, in conjunction with numerous qi practitioners from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, had used the Dragon-Claw Pagoda Tree at Xiamawei as bait and the Zhenwu Emperor statue as a catalyst. Their aim was not only to suppress but also to severely deplete the Northern Liang heir's luck and destiny during his brief stay at the courier station, effectively crushing him as if with a millstone. Bai Yu felt neither aversion nor admiration for such imperial tactics; he preferred to remain aloof. Military strategy favored a blend of direct and indirect approaches. This scheme was the indirect, relatively hidden and obscure part. The remaining direct part was quite obvious: to sow discord between Wudang Mountain and Northern Liang. If Wudang were astute and seized the opportunity to show favor to the court, then Northern Liang, which already respected Buddhism, would completely lose Taoist support, becoming even more isolated and helpless. The court's aggressive promotion of those who defected from Northern Liang was precisely to make the Xu family a lone entity. Once Xu Xiao died, Xu Fengnian, as the hereditary King of Northern Liang, would have no choice but to use the three hundred thousand iron cavalry to fill the gaps in the northwest frontier, incapable of causing any further disturbance.

Bai Yu sighed. "It's a pity that Wudang Mountain still has that stubborn, unyielding nature, unwilling to even make a superficial show of deference. No wonder it has declined so much, unable to compete with the rising Longhu Mountain."

First, there was the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism, specifically between Liangchan Temple and Longhu Mountain.

Then Wudang contended with Longhu Mountain in a magical duel.

This current one was a struggle for the ancestral seat of Taoism.

Even if Wudang won this magical duel, it would lose the entire court. Wudang Mountain had won too little and lost too much.

Bai Yu called out to Zhao Ningshen, "Ningshen, come back."

Zhao Ningshen hesitated for a moment, but finally stepped aside, moving out of the Zhenwu Emperor statue's southward path.

As he spoke, Bai Yu quietly waved his hand. Most others were focused on Zhao Ningshen's actions, but only Zhao Danping noticed Bai Yu's gesture. Gritting his teeth, he withdrew his suppression of the formation.

Outside the Xiamawei Courier Station, Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "Someone tampered with the Dragon-Claw Pagoda Tree; was it malicious intent aimed at me?"

Li Yu Axe nodded with a solemn expression.

Xu Fengnian asked, "Does it involve my luck?"

Li Yu Axe still nodded.

Xu Fengnian, whose luck was as empty as a blank sheet of rice paper, almost burst out laughing. Suppressing his amusement, he said, "Alright, don't provoke those Zhao family members. Just go on your hundred thousand li journey. These dirty matters are none of your concern. Retrieve your peach wood sword and leave the capital quickly."

Li Yu Axe's face reddened. "The peach wood sword has entered the formation; it will be very difficult to retrieve it now."

At the end of the long street outside the courier station, a middle-aged swordsman in a green robe appeared.

He carried the sword Shen Tu on his back.

He walked slowly, his face ancient and unadorned like a recluse from antiquity. He bowed to the new Wudang sect master.

Li Yu Axe quickly returned the bow, respectfully saying, "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Wang."

It was Wang Xiaoping, who had sealed his mouth and nurtured his sword for twenty years.

Wang Xiaoping's face showed displeasure, clearly unhappy that this young sect master was involved in imperial struggles. Li Yu Axe, though simple in nature, was not truly foolish, and he felt somewhat awkward.

Xu Fengnian had never expected Wang Xiaoping, the foremost swordsman of Wudang, to appear at Xiamawei. Li Yu Axe, trying to salvage the situation, explained, "Senior Martial Uncle Wang once left a dying wish: whenever His Highness enters the capital, Junior Martial Brother Wang should enter the world."

Wang Xiaoping took down the talisman sword Shen Tu, threw it to Xu Fengnian, and said in a hoarse voice, "Both the sect-master senior brother and the sect-master junior brother said that I was to return Shen Tu to you when we met in the capital."

Xu Fengnian took the famous sword, momentarily forgetting to wonder why Wang Xiaoping was willing to speak, and asked in astonishment, "What can I do with Shen Tu?"

Since Wang Xiaoping had spoken, did it mean his swordsmanship had reached mastery? However, this most renowned "mute" in the jianghu was sparing with words and said nothing more.

Li Yu Axe scratched his head. "Martial Uncle once said that I could see Zhenwu with a single glance, and Zhenwu would also see me."

Xu Fengnian was even more bewildered.

Suddenly, Shen Tu vibrated in his hand, as if Emperor Zhenwu himself had issued a divine decree, "By my command, quickly!"

As if by divine will, Xu Fengnian turned to look north and softly blurted out, "Sword, come."

Li Yu Axe's peach wood sword instantly flew south, returning to its sheath.

Xu Fengnian silently thought, "Sword, go."

Shen Tu flew north, returning to the hand of the Zhenwu Emperor statue.

Wang Xiaoping, a reclusive genius of swordsmanship, proud and aloof, respectfully bowed to the white-haired young man.

Even Li Yu Axe, with his exceptional talent, was now in tears.

Wudang Mountain had not seen Zhenwu for eight hundred years.

Today, Zhenwu finally saw him.