Chapter 569: Advance Battle

The White Horse Departs Liangzhou

The White Horse Departs Liangzhou

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Xu Fengnian and Gao Shulu, one entering a trance and the other returning to consciousness, spoke of heavenly secrets known to no one but Luoyang. Meanwhile, masters like Zhonggucheng were so utterly helpless that they lacked the courage to fight to the death. A single white-clad woman was already almost invincible, let alone a heavenly being whose spirit could travel out of body? Gao Shulu, with only two talismanic restrictions remaining, surveyed his surroundings, took a deep breath, and with a face full of ecstasy, said to the ethereal Xu Fengnian: "You should first return your spirit to Kunlun and observe the East Sea once more. I will then arrive in... Beiliang?"

Xu Fengnian smiled and nodded, but did not immediately project his spirit thousands of miles away to return. Instead, he turned his horse's head for Luoyang, slowly walking along the post road, gradually moving further away, leaving Gao Shulu and a large group of copper-yellow fish bag masters behind. Xu Fengnian said softly: "I know who you are fond of, and I won't force you. If it were me, if the woman I loved lost her memory, she would no longer be herself. Although I am a bit different – I haven't lost memories, but gained more. Perhaps in your eyes, I, Xu Fengnian, am still more like that person. This muddled account you've been calculating for eight hundred years and still haven't settled, ultimately, if you want to blame someone, blame yourself. Back when my Qin alchemists went to sea to seek immortal pills and obtained two elixirs of immortality in the East Sea, you thought I intended to share them with her behind your back. So you deliberately told me there was only one, and destroyed it in front of me, but secretly hid the other in the 'Li Pearl,' gaining immortality alone, and poisoned her. In fact, you were wrong..."

Luoyang sneered: "So what if I was wrong? Even if I could return eight hundred years ago, I would still poison that woman, still prevent you from gaining immortality, and still personally destroy your Qin Dynasty's ambition to last ten thousand generations!"

Xu Fengnian first turned to the carriage and instructed them to take the old eunuch back to Beiliang. Then he turned to look into the distance, smiling slightly: "You are indeed still you."

Luoyang sat high on her horse, feeling perfectly justified letting him lead it, and didn't forget to mock him: "It's a pity she's no longer herself."

Xu Fengnian calmly said: "Yuan Qingshan said that after Li Yufu of Wudang, human affairs will be handled by humans, and heavenly beings will roam freely in heaven. I think that's good. After my battle with Wang Xianzhi, you and I should also have a resolution."

Luoyang sneered: "You want to sever heaven and earth? And then become an ordinary person? Eight hundred years ago, weren't you the one who most detested those ordinary, unproductive mortals?"

Xu Fengnian looked up at the white-clad woman and dismissed it with a smile. Heart-wrenching wails came from behind, but both Xu Fengnian and Luoyang ignored them. After walking some distance, Xu Fengnian released the reins, leaving a phrase as he vaguely dissipated: "Don't forget the three-year agreement."

Luoyang snorted coldly: "Win against Gao Shulu first, then talk."

Yelü Dongchuang, clutching two bloody heads under his arm, jogged over, asking curiously: "Luoyang, that guy looked really imposing. Who is he? He looks so young, yet he can project his spirit out of body? He couldn't be some ancient Taoist master with an eternally youthful face, an old man of the same generation as our Qilin Imperial Preceptor, could he?"

Luoyang said indifferently: "Younger than you."

Yelü Dongchuang was stunned and exclaimed: "Bullshit! There's no one in the world with more martial arts talent than me, Luoyang, who are you trying to fool!"

Luoyang smiled: "His name is Xu Fengnian. How old do you think he is?"

Yelü Dongchuang let out a strange cry, then thought seriously for a moment, and smiled fawningly: "Ah, if that's the case, then I won't return to Beimang. Let Fatty Dong take the heat first. Luoyang, I'll hang out with you for two more years. I haven't seen enough of Liyang's beautiful mountains and rivers. Don't misunderstand, I'm not afraid of this new King of Liang."

Deng Mao evidently noticed the unusual situation here and quickly rendezvoused with Luoyang and Yelü Dongchuang, returning together to Zhulu Mountain. When the remaining sixteen hundred cavalry from Dufengkou military town arrived at the battlefield, many armored soldiers dismounted and vomited incessantly. The post road, as far as the eye could see, was a sickening scene of mangled flesh and blood; intact corpses were rare. The commanding officer ignored everything else, quickly ordering men to ascertain the safety of the carriage. However, the carriage was empty, which struck the officer like lightning. Then dozens of white-clad qi practitioners, with yellow jade belts, also arrived one after another, floating gracefully. Each looked at the others in dismay, as if they had lost their parents. Seeing these "human immortals" in such a state of panic, the officer determined that he would certainly not escape death this time. After a moment of hesitation, he looked back towards the northern city of Tai'an, then turned to look at Guangling Road where the former Western Chu was located, his face uncertain. He ordered his elite cavalry to return to Dufengkou military town. On the way back, he weighed his options with several confidants and slaughtered two commandants who were loyal to the Zhao imperial family. The remaining generals, along with their families and some loyal armored soldiers, swiftly left the military town and fled into Guangling Road.

While Gao Shulu and the old eunuch Zhao Siku leisurely rode towards Beiliang, on a mountaintop a few miles south of the post road where the tragedy occurred, a middle-aged scholar in a green robe frowned. Beside him, an old man who had once single-handedly stirred up the historical currents of the era chuckled: "Under my management, the world's destiny shifted from the imperial court to the martial arts world. But it couldn't sustain a double-digit number of land immortals. So, that 'outhouse' position is already the limit; anyone who wants to claim a top spot has to make someone else leave. When Li Chungang departed, it paved the way for Deng Tai'a to become a sword immortal with perfected cultivation. When Longshu, the monk of Liangchan Temple, left, it created an opening for Chen Zhibao. Hong Xixiang was entrusted to Li Yufu, the current sect leader of Wudang, to be passed back to that child later. This is also the most admirable thing about Wudang; they have truly achieved generational inheritance of their legacy, it's impossible not to be impressed. As for Zhao Xuansu, who exchanged a seal with Zhao Huangchao of Longhu Mountain but failed to ascend and had his soul scattered, that's what gave the little girl you protect the aura of the co-ruler of all famous swords in the world. Now that Gao Shulu has brazenly emerged, it's actually time for you, Cao Changqing, the Confucian Saint, to step aside..."

Cao Changqing shook his head: "I have my own way to contend with Gao Shulu."

The old man privileged to speak so brazenly to Cao Changqing was naturally Huang Sanjia. The old man thought for a moment: "I can roughly guess your plans, but I've always failed to understand you intelligent people. How can you not see through the concept of 'love'? The character 'qing' (情, love/emotion) doesn't have many strokes, and it's not hard to write. Why can Wang Xianzhi look down on you, Cao Changqing, from such a height? Isn't it because you fools—whose talents are not much inferior to his—you, and Li Chungang, whom I genuinely admire among the few in this world, plus Xuanyuan Jingcheng of Huishan—spend your entire lives imprisoned by a woman? Is it worth it?"

Cao Changqing's expression was calm, and he smiled slightly: "If we talk about 'worth it or not,' then it's no longer love. The character 'qing' is easy to write but hard to let go of. You, Huang Longshi, haven't encountered it, so you mock our foolishness. But don't we also mock you for being clever your entire life for nothing? Is it not worthwhile? Being unburdened is good, but having attachments is not bad either."

Huang Longshi bared his teeth and said: "Once intelligent people fall mortally ill, not even immortals can cure them."

Cao Changqing turned his head and asked: "You, Huang Longshi, claim to be among the top three in the world. Besides hastening the growth of this world and fueling the situation, what else can you do?"

Huang Longshi let out a surprised "Oh?" and said: "You guessed it?"

Cao Changqing smiled: "It's a pity neither of us has much time left, otherwise I'd have a good chat with you."

Huang Longshi chuckled and changed the subject. "That Gao Shulu really went all out; he killed over two hundred people in one go. And as a result, although the Zhao imperial family isn't severely weakened, there are now exploitable weaknesses, which is greatly beneficial to your Western Chu."

Cao Changqing shook his head: "Martial arts practitioners from the jianghu, when caught in a battlefield, are simply that. They can never control the course of a battle. Since the Spring and Autumn conflicts, the military has long mastered how to block and kill masters who charge into formations alone. Of the two hundred masters, perhaps half are truly willing to fight for the Zhao imperial family within Western Chu territory. A hundred people thrown into a battlefield of tens of thousands is merely a drop in the bucket. Moreover, Zhulu Mountain will also be involved. As for that small group of masters, it's hard to say who will win from the start. Oh, what you, Huang Sanjia, truly want to talk about is the defection of the Dufengkou military town commander? That indeed is good news; it's a domino effect. For nearly twenty years, there's been no smell of gunpowder. The thousand-mile territory south of the capital has become so steeped in effeminate luxury, far beyond what the Zhao Emperor and his entire court could imagine. Zhang Julu, the head of the civil officials, recognized this and spoke out, but unfortunately no one believed him. Among the military officials, the most influential ones, Chen Zhibao and Gu Jiantang, weren't willing to waste words. Lu Shengxiang knew it was useless to speak, and this is where the opportunity lies."

Huang Longshi also shook his head, seemingly not at all optimistic about the ultimate fate of Western Chu.

Cao Changqing paid it no mind, chuckling softly: "You intend to hand the empire to Prince Zhao Zhu of Yan'e. So, to whom will the jianghu be entrusted? Could it be that purple-clad woman, Xuanyuan Qingfeng?"

The old man neither admitted nor denied it, saying softly: "You say I, Huang Longshi, can only hasten the growth of the crops, and the harvest can only be the predetermined one. You are wrong."

Cao Changqing looked up at the figure faintly visible, suspended on a sword amidst the sea of clouds.

Huang Longshi smiled: "It's thundering, it's raining, and countless people are about to die."

Cao Changqing sighed with emotion: "Decades of chaos for hundreds of generations of peace, it's impossible."

The old man clasped his hands together and exhaled a puff of mist. "To carry Mount Tai beyond the North Sea—the ancients dared not, and future generations cannot. I will do it."

Cao Changqing remained silent for a long time before slowly saying: "Madman."

Huang Longshi gave a free and easy smile: "It was a pleasure meeting you all."

Cao Deyin, one of the foremost dandies of the era, suddenly asked: "Cao Changqing has always been very curious about what the era of peace and prosperity in your mind should be like?"

The old man hummed vaguely: "A peaceful and orderly era is not about closeness between ruler and people, but rather when the state and its people seem to forget each other, yet each retains its true nature."

Cao Changqing closed his eyes, lost in thought.

Huang Longshi smiled: "Don't overthink it, or you might get stuck and unable to get out. At that point, even if you are the Confucian Saint Cao Qingyi, you'd only be creating trouble for yourself. I have so many ideas that are out of place and out of touch with the times; drinking alone to relieve my boredom is enough."

Cao Changqing opened his eyes, rubbed his frosted temples, and asked: "Can he truly overcome both Gao Shulu and Wang Xianzhi consecutively?"

Huang Longshi calmly said: "Actually, as long as he overcomes Gao Shulu, it's pretty much done. Because ultimately, it's just one hurdle. Wang Xianzhi is slightly stronger than Gao Shulu, but this is a difference in power, not a difference in realm."

Cao Changqing said bitterly: "You say it's one hurdle, but it's no different from fighting Wang Xianzhi prematurely. Isn't it still a near-certain death?"

Huang Longshi rolled his eyes: "That kid brought it upon himself. What does it have to do with me?"

Cao Changqing smiled and asked: "Did you truly leave no backup plan?"

The old man looked up and stated unequivocally: "None!"

Cao Changqing's question was asked on behalf of someone, and Huang Sanjia's answer was clearly directed at those in the heavens.

The young woman snorted coldly, broke through the clouds, and departed on her sword.

In a secluded mountain forest in Youzhou, Beiliang, a dense aura like a giant python coiled around a carriage. Xu Yanbing watched the python-like aura gradually fade, as if relieved of a burden.

Xu Fengnian stepped out of the carriage, sighing: "Gao Shulu will arrive in Beiliang soon. My seventh out-of-body experience revealed the reasons for the gathering and dispersal of the world's destiny. The last one recalled the talisman bet by the East Sea. This time, I projected my spirit from Kunlun, originally to observe Deng Tai'a's return from seeking immortals, but was unexpectedly encountered by Gao Shulu. I truly had no choice but to show myself."

Xu Yanbing asked: "Do I need to intervene?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head: "It's useless. I have to settle this karma myself."

Xu Yanbing, for the first time, revealed a schadenfreude smile and said: "I do have a suggestion. Since that Bodhisattva woman from Lantuo Mountain has tied her hair with a green ribbon, why not untie it with another tie? This method isn't clever, but it's a method nonetheless."

Xu Fengnian quickly said: "No, if Luoyang found out, she'd surely run straight from Zhulu Mountain to Beiliang to cause trouble with me. That woman really would kill someone."

A chuckle.

A sneer.

They sounded simultaneously from two women, both clearly tinged with disdain.

There's no need to say more about Miss Haha; she had been wandering around in the distance, carrying a withered pole for some time.

As for the other one, she appeared just as the word "Bodhisattva" was mentioned.

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