Chapter 543: You Sing After

Zhong Liang spoke casually, playing the good guy without spending a coin, but Xu Fengnian couldn't afford to be careless. He knew that if the 'great demon head' of the Zhong family could kill him in Qingcang City, by any means, it would be a huge contribution to Beiliang. The situation was ripe for a third party to profit from the conflict between others. So Xu Fengnian had to be wary of Tang Huaguan's Qi-driven sword array, and even more cautious of Zhong Liang seizing an opportunity. Moreover, there was still one more honoured master from the Dragon King Mansion who had not yet appeared.

Tang Huaguan pressed one hand to the ground and slowly lifted it. With this, the swords hanging from the peach tree began to sway precariously. The tips of over forty unsheathed swords, suspended from the branches, were all, without exception, aimed at the unwelcome guest in the center of the square. Tang Huaguan's free hand began to form sword incantations, changing gestures with dazzling speed, like plucking a konghou. Ever since experiencing the skills of the "earthly immortals" from the South Sea Guanyin Sect at Youyan Villa, Xu Fengnian had taken an interest in Qi cultivation. Tang Huaguan's current method of condensing Qi to command spirits was undoubtedly "Silent Thunder," an ancient Daoist secret art from the Difie Mountain lineage. Purple lightning crackled between Tang Huaguan's five fingers, though it was naturally much weaker than the "Thunder Pool" that Liu Haoshi had once manifested. Nevertheless, this technique alone was more than sufficient for an honoured master in Qingcang City.

Logically, a Qi cultivator is like a catapult for attacking cities; their long-range power is virtually unmatched. The correct strategy is to find an opportunity for close-quarters combat. Simply enduring their attacks would only lead to exhaustion. Xu Fengnian's calm posture, holding his spear, caused Yu Rourou and others by the threshold to inwardly sneer, dismissing him as a novice with cultivation but no understanding of the jianghu's depths. However, while outsiders merely watched the spectacle, true masters like Zhong Liang, who understood the deeper workings, showed no trace of mockery on their faces. This made Queen Yu, who was most skilled at observing expressions, somewhat unsure.

Mao Bishan and Gu Feiqing were swordsmen who had made their names amidst the bloodshed of the refugee lands, far more genuine than the "sword-侠" of the Central Plains. Witnessing the strange sight of lightning swirling around Grand Master Tang's fingers, they couldn't help but be astonished. For a moment, they forgot their usual cunning in dealing with each other. Mao Bishan quietly asked, "Is that boy just going to stand there and watch Grand Master accumulate power to his peak? Is such overconfidence based on something, or is it sheer ignorance?"

Gu Feiqing's tone was grave: "This prince has a notorious reputation, but given that he could make that 'little butcher' voluntarily leave Beiliang and seamlessly inherit his position, I don't believe he's as shallow as the rumors suggest. The former possibility is much more likely. While Grand Master Tang's technique is indeed mysterious, the Prince of Beiliang might not be without the power to fight, and even the outcome is hard to say."

Mao Bishan also caught on, stroking his beard and nodding, "Indeed, unless his brain was kicked by a donkey, no one would come to Qingcang just to offer their head. It seems the fellow Xu either has hidden masters looking after him, or his cultivation is truly profound, with more hidden skills beyond his earlier sword manipulation. Tsk tsk, I never thought the 'butcher' himself was only a minor grandmaster of the second rank, yet he has two sons who surpass their father. Hey, if you ask me, with such talent and the Tide-Listening Pavilion as a martial arts treasury, why bother being a thankless Prince of Beiliang? It would be so much better to wander the jianghu. It would even put Emperor Zhao's mind at ease; he might even bestow the 'Number One Under Heaven' golden plaque in his delight. Didn't old eccentric Wang like to call himself second? That way, both of them would have their rightful titles."

Hearing this ignorant, almost rustic talk about court affairs, Queen Yu gave a charming eye-roll. A woman of striking beauty is truly blessed; even a disdainful glance can exude an alluring charm. Mao Bishan caught the "flirty glance" from Her Majesty the Queen and was truly almost scared out of his wits. He shuffled his feet, moving a little closer to the door. With the woman sitting on the threshold, Client Mao looked down from his higher vantage point, and the cleavage created by his mistress's ample bosom was particularly clear. Though Mao Bishan's lifelong passion for women was stronger than his dedication to swordsmanship, he had not yet reached the point of forgetting his life for beauty. For Queen Yu, whose "charms were exposed" right before his eyes in Qingcang, he only dared to feast his eyes. Even if Yu Rourou were to stand naked before him, Mao Bishan, no matter how much he craved her, would not dare to lay a finger on her. This was the power of authority, greater than any sword art in the world. Mao Bishan learned this truth very late, coming to a great realization. That's why he chose to be a "chicken's head rather than a phoenix's tail"—to serve the Dragon King Mansion in the refugee lands as a minion, rather than contend with other jianghu experts for provincial rankings back in his old home of Dongyue.

The unsheathed swords, their tips aimed directly at the spear-wielding young man, finally broke free, leaving the peach tree. They converged from east and west, pressing towards the center of the square. As the swords detached from their branches, they sliced through many light-gold, purplish petals, creating a beautiful sight. The brilliance of the forty-odd sword bodies echoed the lightning swirling around Tang Huaguan's palm. Xu Fengnian felt a pang of regret; several of the flying swords gifted by Deng Tai'a had been destroyed by Renmao outside Shenwu City, leaving gaps in his "Twelve Hour" array, significantly reducing the power of his Thunder Pool Sword Array. Otherwise, no matter how imposing Tang Huaguan's Lightning-Summoning Sword Array might seem, Xu Fengnian could have stood firm even without his iron spear. Using a sword array to defend against a sword array, his "shield" would undoubtedly have been sturdier, and the "spear" of Zhao Gou's old spy would have returned fruitless.

In truth, the essence of the twelve Lingxi Sword Mound flying swords lay not in the swords themselves, but in the profound sword intent and secret arts each contained. This was an insight he had gained by chance while observing the gradual shifting of the morning glow into Dunhuang City from the top of its city wall, as day transitioned to night. Later, he acquired ancient Qin swords from behind the Yellow River Dragon Wall. All twelve swords were divinely attuned and responsive, so even if a few were destroyed, they could be recreated. Although he had an agreement with "Dripping Water," the Qi cultivation master of the Guanyin Sect, and the "Charcoal Girl," to use ancient swords made of the same material as the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse to forge eighty-one talisman swords at Youyan Villa, he had other plans. Theoretically, even without using ancient burial swords from tombs, he could have chipped off some material from the Talisman Generals in Red Armor captured at the Reed Marsh and Iron Gate Pass, which could also be used for sword forging to complete the set of twelve. However, Xu Fengnian had different intentions. He had visited the highly secluded Beiliang Engineering Bureau several times in Liangzhou, ordering them, first as the Crown Prince and then as the new Prince of Beiliang, to drop all other ongoing projects. Under the leadership of the Mohist Grand Master, they had thrown all their efforts into a massive undertaking. He was so determined that he wouldn't even "waste" a mere few ounces of the Talisman Generals' Red Armor on forging flying swords. This secret affair, however, was beyond the purview of his second sister and Chu Lushan. Xu Weixiong, who originally shared a mentor-apprentice bond with the Mohist Grand Master, had completely withdrawn from the Engineering Bureau after taking charge of Wutong Courtyard, passing it over to Xu Fengnian, who had loved playing there since childhood. Consequently, no one knew the young prince's precise scheme.

Although in recent years Xu Fengnian had primarily focused on cultivating his blade intent and incidentally learned swordplay, he was surrounded by experts: Wang Xiu's daughter (the Spear Immortal), the Instant Spear itself, and two of the top three spearmen in the world, Xu Yanbing and Han Laosan. Through constant exposure, an iron spear in his hand became a roaring whirlwind, imbued with the force of thunder. Each thrust directly shattered a close-range sharp sword. The over forty lightning-talisman swords were as fragile as paper against his iron spear. Tang Huaguan's expression was grim, and Queen Yu Rourou, along with guest masters Mao and Gu, were thoroughly astonished. Zhong Liang, however, remained as calm as an old god. Peach blossoms, torn by the sword qi, swirled around him like a snowstorm. He casually plucked a few petals from in front of him, put them in his mouth, and chewed. Then, the 'great demon head' Zhong saw a sword launched at his head by the iron spear. The Beiliang expert, mouth full of peach blossoms, let out a muffled chuckle, allowing the flying sword, imbued with talismanic energy, to pierce directly towards his head. Unexpectedly, just as the sword tip was about to touch Zhong Liang's brow, he showed no movement, nor even the slightest flow of Qi. The flying sword spun around, circling happily like a swallow returning to its nest, revolving continuously near Zhong Liang's shoulders until its spiritual energy dissipated and it fell limply to the ground. This phenomenon, not to mention Yu Rourou and the two sword experts Mao Bishan and Gu Feiqing, was probably incomprehensible even to the Qi cultivator Tang Huaguan. Only Xu Fengnian understood its mystery. There was once a rumor in the jianghu: in the South Sea lived a Dragon Girl whose sword art had reached divine perfection, moving swiftly like wind and waves, her sword traveling a thousand miles. That barefoot young woman, nicknamed "Charcoal Girl," had once displayed a similar "technique" to Zhong Liang's at Youyan Villa. At that time, even Xu Fengnian's perfected sword embryo flying swords were exceptionally docile towards her, almost turning traitor mid-battle. This was attributed to the "Charcoal Girl" being a once-in-a-century "sword embryo," naturally able to make famous swords feel kinship, as if encountering an old friend. Xu Fengnian's original intention was merely to probe his opponent's strength and gauge Zhong Liang's true capabilities. He had not expected Zhong Liang to be so straightforward, openly revealing his sword embryo talent without any concealment.

Tang Huaguan's lips moved subtly as he silently chanted a spell. He pressed his hands downwards, and a second wave of flying swords, just over fifty in number, swept out from the depths of the Dragon King Mansion. However, Xu Fengnian indeed had the grounds to underestimate the scale of this sword array. He had once performed a magnificent feat of borrowing swords from Youyan Villa, and even used thousands of snowflakes as swords. Tang Huaguan's sword array was fundamentally built on talismans, which, in the eyes of contemporary sword masters, was naturally considered a trivial, low-class trick. Despite his disdain, Xu Fengnian didn't forget to try and secretly learn the current "Banishment Banner" technique, which originated from the Demon-Slaying Platform of Longhu Mountain. However, back then, Grand Master Qi Xuanzhen had summoned heavenly lightning to form a banner and suppress several celestial demons from Zhulu Mountain. Tang Huaguan's banishment technique was merely a clumsy imitation, probably less than a thousandth of the awe-inspiring power seen on the Lotus Platform.

When Zhong Liang saw Xu Fengnian's Arc Spear technique, even while being pressed by the flying swords, he let out a surprised gasp. Back then, Wang Xiu, one of the Four Grandmasters, had ventured deep into Beiliang territory as if entering an unmanned land. Countless Beiliang heroes had perished under Wang Xiu's "Four-Character Arts." The "Collapse" and "Drag" techniques were already devastatingly ruthless, but the third technique, the "Arc Spear," had truly struck fear into the hearts of the Beiliang jianghu. Zhong Liang had traveled the jianghu for many years, his martial arts especially eclectic, and he himself was an unparalleled martial arts prodigy. He was the only person in Beiliang whom Tuoba Junshen had called more talented than himself. Unfortunately, Zhong Liang was by nature unrestrained and lacked steadfastness. He rarely cared for what the world valued. Not only did he have no love for power, but his pursuit of martial arts advancement also followed his whims, which was why he never ranked among the world's top ten masters. Zhong Liang rubbed his eyelids with both hands and chuckled, "It truly is Wang Xiu's 'Arc' character technique. Good lad, you learn everything so well, you even have my flair."

Zhong Liang watched intently for a while, then turned to Her Majesty the Queen by the threshold and gestured for an iron spear.

Three arcs form a posture, three postures create a small circle, and three small circles form a great circle, perpetually renewing itself. Back then, Wang Xiu had used this "Arc" technique to fight the Talisman General Jia Ren, who was also one of the Four Grandmasters, for a full three days and three nights. It was rumored that Wang Xiu's final arc encompassed an area of three *li*, killing all flying birds and leaving not a blade of grass.

"If the Arc Spear does not arc, I die!"

Zhong Liang, who had been living anonymously in the refugee lands, felt an unprecedented urge to act.

The Arc Spear also incorporated the "Collapse Thunder" and "Drag Spear" techniques. Tang Huaguan's horizontal and vertical sword arrays quickly faltered. Xu Fengnian's final arc had already encompassed the entire square. Yu Rourou and the others only saw peach blossoms swirling rapidly with intense *gangqi*, a sight of unparalleled brilliance. Xu Fengnian twisted his spear around his body, employing the renowned "Thunder Spear Art" of the Beiliang demon lord Tuobor Huikai, internally using the Wu family Sword Tomb's Qi manipulation, and externally Wang Xiu's "Collapse" technique. He hurled the spear at Grand Master Tang of the Dragon King Mansion. After throwing the spear, Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes, finding it utterly baffling. The old master's desperate act was far too hasty. When others are desperate, it's usually to escape with their lives, yet this old spy from Zhao Gou recklessly raised a sword, deliberately allowing the iron spear to penetrate his abdomen. Then, with his last dying breath, he lunged, raising his sword to stab Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian sidestepped the sword, then subtly extended an arm, vaguely wreathed in red threads. He pressed down on Tang Huaguan's head, forcing him to kneel before him.

Before he died, Tang Huaguan, bleeding from his seven orifices, moved his lips with difficulty. There was no resentment in his eyes; instead, a sudden sense of liberation. The old man silently spoke his final words.

Two words.

"Child."

"Leave."