Chapter 590: Since Fate Has Run Out, Then Swallow Thousands of Miles

**He Xinliang, Chapter 17: When Fate's Thread Breaks, Swallow the World Whole**

Upon first entering the Profound Realm, Mi Fengjie began to exhibit the renewed vitality of an old tree blossoming in spring. Most martial artists in the world were like this: the further they advanced into the First-Rank Realm, the more they cherished their cultivation, for not everyone was a truly rare talent like Li Chungang, capable of breaking through a realm in just a few years. However, the person blocking his path was simply too young. Mi Fengjie did not consider him a mortal enemy, intending only a single demonstrative strike to force the man to retreat so he could continue his journey. Without even drawing his sword, Mi Fengjie merely exhaled gently. Thirty-five ancient swords had previously been given to a youth on Talisman Mountain, and among them, an unsheathed blade, slender as a maiden's pinky finger, shot towards the young Northern Liang official who had been spouting nonsense. After telekinetically controlling the flying sword, Mi Fengjie squinted, admiring how the thin, emerald blade, due to its immense speed, twisted into subtle arcs in the air like a young bamboo viper, with wisps of scarlet sword energy emerging from its tip, much like a green snake flicking its red tongue.

Xu Fengnian casually extended his hand, pinching the "bamboo viper" between his thumb and forefinger, instantly crushing the sword energy. As soon as the slender sword was restrained by his fingers, Mi Fengjie decisively severed the energetic connection. Yet, the residual force from the flying sword itself still caused the tail of the ancient sword, named "Green Leaf," to intensely vibrate. Mi Fengjie no longer dared to be presumptuous. He spread his arms, preparing to draw six ancient swords for a lethal attack, when he heard the young man chuckle softly, "My name is Xu Fengnian. Do you truly wish to fight?"

Mi Fengjie's expression changed dramatically. He forcibly swallowed a surge of immense vital energy. The six swords, which had begun to unsheathe at varying lengths, instantly returned to their scabbards, resting quietly. Mi Fengjie was somewhat astonished. After the young man revealed his identity, he had no doubt, only great surprise as to why a dignified vassal king would come to Talisman Mountain. "You're already the sixth greatest in the world," he thought, "surely you don't mean to contend with a mere Profound Realm swordsman like me, Mi Fengjie? And for this, you'd abandon important military and state affairs just to make a special trip to these remote mountains?" Mi Fengjie chuckled nonchalantly, "The King of Northern Liang certainly has a refined taste, to bother with a few desperate bandits."

Xu Fengnian discarded the precious ancient sword, its sword-embryo ruined. Disregarding the hidden mockery in the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave's words, he asked, "Song Nianqing of Eastern Yue Sword Pond unleashed fourteen sword forms before his death. Do you wish to learn them? If so, stay in Northern Liang Province and serve me. Listening Tide Pavilion also holds secret manuals from its lower six floors, available for you to peruse."

Mi Fengjie's face clouded over; he remained silent, lost in thought.

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Once you achieve the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, you are free to leave Northern Liang anytime. Furthermore, I can guarantee that during this period, even if there's a life-or-death battle, I will not put you in danger, nor will I send you to fight on the border battlefields. There are simply some people who need your discreet protection, and Northern Liang currently lacks top experts to oversee its prefectures and counties."

Mi Fengjie sneered, "Are there such good things in the world?"

Xu Fengnian crooked a finger, retrieving the slender sword, whose sword-embryo and divine essence had been ruined, back into his hand. His fingers slowly glided over the blade, revealing a dazzling, flowing image as the new sword-embryo neared perfection. Such a profound technique was akin to instantly achieving Buddhahood in the Buddhist tradition. Xu Fengnian held the new sword, pointed it at Mi Fengjie, and took a gentle step forward.

There was no astonishing aura, no ineffably complex sword forms. Even Xu Fengnian's previous stance and his subsequent step were utterly spontaneous and casual, devoid of any pretense of a master, like an old man in his twilight years watching the setting sun and taking one step forward to pursue it.

Yet, Mi Fengjie still retreated dozens of feet, his face pale.

The moment that sword began to form, Mi Fengjie realized that all thirty-six of his sword forms and thirty-six techniques were powerless to break it; he could only surrender without a fight. Xu Fengnian tossed the ancient sword back to Mi Fengjie and calmly said, "This is the beginning of Song Nianqing's Earthly Immortal sword strike before his death. Do you believe it now? Of course, I've only learned about fifty to sixty percent of its spirit and essence."

Mi Fengjie gritted his teeth, about to kneel.

Xu Fengnian waved his hand and chuckled, "Forget it. You should know that four or five years ago, a supreme expert like you, Mi Fengjie, would have been worshipped with incense in my eyes. Let's get to business: return to Immortal Coffin Cave first and relay my order. Tell Huangfu Ping to show mercy. Anyone you wish to spare can live, whether they join the army at the border or become personal guards for a general within the province; they can choose. As for the wealth accumulated by Immortal Coffin Cave over the years, consider it military provisions for Youzhou's current expedition to Talisman Mountain."

After Mi Fengjie left, Xu Fengnian, carrying a tree branch, returned to the smoke-filled Talisman Mountain and sat at the mountain gate.

Wei Jin had gone down the mountain to report the battle situation to the Mountain Master, Zhang Gonglian. The situation was precarious, with their forces caught in a pincer movement. Over a hundred young men fought and retreated to the foot of the mountain. Lu Haiya, who had been fighting for Talisman Mountain, had already withdrawn midway to rush to Immortal Coffin Cave. Zhang Juxian sustained some minor injuries, while Wei Jin's senior disciple, Liu Yu, was gravely wounded. In the heat of battle, Captain Su Zhen seized an opportunity, not only slicing off half of Liu Yu's shoulder with a blade but also piercing his other shoulder with an arrow. If Liu Yu hadn't instinctively twisted his body, that arrow would have pierced his heart. Originally, with Zhang Juxian and Nan Baoyu, two great masters, acting as pillars of strength, Talisman Mountain, despite being at a clear numerical disadvantage, could have repelled Su Zhen's hundred armored soldiers. However, Fan Xiaochai and Wang Shiwei suddenly joined the fray, their savage intervention directly leading to the death of the mighty hammer-wielding Nan Baoyu. The young woman had flicked her sparrow-tail saber at Nan Baoyu, and the 200-pound man was instantly lifted into the air by the curved blade's momentum. The newly acquired bronze-rust sword then repeatedly stabbed Nan Baoyu's chest a dozen times, utterly mangling his heart and leaving a shocking, bowl-sized hole in his body. As the demoness pulled out her blade and the corpse fell, she dragged her sword towards Zhang Juxian, the tip carving another bloodied line from Nan Baoyu's abdomen to his face.

After she joined the battle, Zhang Juxian was tied up, and Liu Yu was ambushed by Captain Su Zhen at that moment. These government troops steadily advanced, relying on well-coordinated elite infantry, a combination of swords and crossbows, and synchronized formations. They were far superior to the Talisman Mountain bandits, who only knew brute force. Moreover, behind the hundred armored soldiers were constables who picked off those who fell. While these types weren't great at fighting to the death, their ability to press an advantage was not to be underestimated. Furthermore, having crossed the bodies of over ninety fallen comrades, their bloodlust was truly ignited. Consequently, Talisman Mountain's forces collapsed like a mountain landslide. If Wei Jin hadn't led men to cover their retreat, not even ten would have made it back to the foot of the mountain, let alone nearly a hundred.

These bandits, all with more or less severe injuries, had been chased and slaughtered like drowned dogs on their own territory, leaving them with lingering fear. They had often dealt with government constables in the past and, over time, had developed a contempt for the Northern Liang army, thinking them birds of a feather. "How strong could Northern Liang armored soldiers possibly be?" they'd wonder. In their daily lives, they often cursed Northern Liang with Master Wei Jin, saying things like, "What nonsense about Northern Liang's iron cavalry being unmatched under heaven! If they're so formidable, with 120,000 cavalry and over 200,000 infantry, collectively called the Xu family's 300,000 iron cavalry, why don't they flatten Beiman?" Only when they truly encountered Captain Su Zhen's troops did they realize that the genuine Northern Liang army, fully armored and wielding Liang blades, was a world apart from those constables merely wearing an official's facade.

Xu Fengnian sat beneath the mountain gate archway, watching the Talisman Mountain's young men, now reduced by half, swiftly ascend. After a moment's thought, he decided not to reveal his identity to these bandits and returned to the courtyard. What followed was a desperate exchange of blows. With no path of retreat, the people of Talisman Mountain, especially after hearing the captain order no prisoners be taken, began fighting with suicidal desperation. Relying on their advantageous terrain and the mountain's weapons stores, they managed to hold out for over an hour past noon. The government soldiers and bandits mostly exchanged arrows, with no shortage of projectiles on either side. Wei Jin knew well that Talisman Mountain was drinking poison to quench thirst, because in terms of archery skill, the mountain bandits were no match for the government troops, especially the elite soldiers of Youzhou's Wu Army. However, if they didn't use an arrow barrage to block the path, and were forced into close-quarters combat in the narrow lanes, Talisman Mountain might gain the upper hand initially, but even trading severe injuries for government lives wouldn't be worth it, as the enemy still had over four hundred men. In the end, Talisman Mountain would still face death. Some women, children, and old folks, along with maids and servants, who couldn't escape the peripheral courtyards on the mountain, resisted fiercely to the death. Others feigned surrender, then seized the opportunity to stab daggers into their enemies' bellies, willing to die together. This unexpected situation made the armored soldiers and constables, who had initially been ordered not to kill indiscriminately, too exasperated to even bother with calls of "surrender and live." One enraged lieutenant, after several of his personal guards died, would, upon entering any courtyard with his squad, pick up an extra weapon, throw it at the bandits regardless of whether they resisted, then grin and wave his arm, signaling his men to charge and annihilate everyone in sight.

Captain Su Zhen seemed in no hurry to finish. In an open area, he had a table set up and several pots of wine stacked upon it, beginning to drink by himself. Not many were qualified to sit. Wang Shiwei, the Head Constable of Qing'an Prefecture, certainly was, but he stood by, observing the battle and consulting with his veteran constables on how to attack. County Commandant Bai Shangque, covered in blood, approached first, exchanging a few polite words. Later, upon hearing that a battle in one courtyard was deadlocked, he unhesitatingly took a dozen skilled constables and rushed off with their blades. Wang Shiwei hadn't seen the demoness surnamed Fan and surmised she had gone to help "Brother Xu." Only then did he suppress the urge to search for the secretary.

Song Yu, who had single-handedly accounted for a significant number of enemy kills in this bandit suppression, sat down openly. Su Zhen nodded with a smile at this young scion. When County Magistrate Feng Guan sat down, he received a sidelong glance from Captain Su. The magistrate's buttocks had barely touched the chair before he wisely lifted them off the seat. Su Zhen, seeing that this local civil official had some discernment, pushed a pot of wine towards Feng Guan with his legs crossed. Only then did Feng Guan dare to sit, picking up the wine pot and pouring himself a cup. He gulped it down to calm his nerves, then leaned back in his chair, feeling utterly comfortable. Bishan County's efforts in suppressing the bandits this time were immense. It was only natural that Commander Fu Shui, sitting across from him, would take the lion's share of the credit. How could Feng Guan possibly contend for anything? The constabularies from both prefectures had also put in significant effort. But then again, Bishan County hadn't been idle either. As the chief official of the county, Feng Guan had even personally ventured into the mountains, wasn't he a meritorious official no one could ignore? With this, holding real power in Rouge Prefecture City was just around the corner. Feng Guan raised his cup in a toast to Captain Su, then leisurely savored the wine's aftertaste, turning to watch the distant fighting and listen to the pervasive wails. He smiled, wondering if he could now be considered a scholar-general who laughed and chatted amidst the smoke of war.

It was better for this battle to drag on slowly; that way, the young secretary, blessed with good fortune with women, would die more cleanly and completely, with no chance of escaping the net. Bishan County would unexpectedly gain an empty secretary position and, simultaneously, a stunning widow. Weren't both of these the spoils of his, Magistrate Feng's, double victory?

After another half hour, a large detachment of conspicuously armored, crossbow-wielding elite soldiers suddenly appeared. Wang Shiwei was stunned. "Where did Talisman Mountain get these skirmishers?" The young man leading them, with a dignified appearance, carried a saber. Physiognomy books stated that men with such feminine features often had profound good fortune. As Wang Shiwei wondered, he saw the usually arrogant Commander Fu Shui, Su Zhen, suddenly rise, stride forward, and respectfully cup his fists, saying solemnly, "Captain Su Zhen of Fu Shui pays respects to Commander Yu!"

Even Su Zhen, despite his usual haughtiness, dared not be complacent with this person. Not long ago, at the General's residence, he had personally witnessed this man speak smoothly between Inspector Hu Kui and General Huangfu Ping, the two main officials of Youzhou, maintaining a demeanor neither humble nor arrogant. Su Zhen, who had been seated at the lowest position, had clicked his tongue in wonder. Afterwards, he asked his old squad leader, now a captain, and learned that this young talent was the most striking among the scholars who had come to Liang: Yu Luandao, the eldest legitimate grandson of the Yu family, a powerful clan from Guangling! The old squad leader had also mysteriously added that even their King of Northern Liang greatly praised this young man's "Grand Horse Song of Liangzhou," making Yu Luandao's rapid rise in Youzhou a certainty. Su Zhen was merely a captain; how dared he throw his weight around in front of this young skirmisher commander?

Yu Luandao returned the cupped-fist salute, his smile gentle and warm. He said, "Captain Su, you've worked hard. General Huangfu has already annihilated Immortal Coffin Cave and will arrive at this mountain shortly. At the celebration banquet then, I, Yu Luandao, hope to share a good drink with Captain Su, who achieved the greatest merit."

Seeing that this man lacked the pedantic air of many scholars, Su Zhen found him even more agreeable and grinned. "It's nothing. This humble subordinate's drinking capacity is acceptable, and my drinking character is beyond reproach. As long as Commander Yu dares to drink until drunk, I will certainly accompany you until I, too, am drunk."

Yu Luandao smiled faintly. From the corner of his eye, he saw a man in civilian official attire with an embroidered rank badge cautiously approaching. Yu Luandao, who had not yet gone to the border to gain military merits, asked with a smile, "Are you County Magistrate Feng of Bishan County?"

Feng Guan was overwhelmed by favor and quickly nodded, wondering how this young general knew his surname and official position.

Yu Luandao said no more. He snapped his fingers, and over forty elite skirmishers behind him surged into the battlefield.

Su Zhen dared not fall behind. He personally led his troops into the fray, determined to take Talisman Mountain in one go, hoping to make a good impression on the Youzhou General.

In one courtyard, a dozen fierce constables burst through the door. They saw two maids huddled together, trembling behind a stone table. The two leaders exchanged a knowing glance and smiled. One grabbed a woman by her hair and pressed her onto the stone table. Finding her intricate clothes cumbersome, he tore them off. As he unfastened his trousers, exposing himself, he listened to the women's pitiful whimpers. The two constable leaders laughed maniacally at the same time. "Spending silver in brothels for prostitutes and wine never offered such fresh excitement!" Just as one constable grabbed a woman by her slender neck, pulling her back, preparing to mount her, he saw a scene that utterly ruined the mood: the main gate of the inner courtyard was open, and a young man sat there, with several chicken coops by his feet. This bandit didn't even flee; instead, he asked, "Since you've earned military merit and reward silver, aren't there women available once you descend the mountain? If I'm not mistaken, Northern Liang forbids disturbing the populace after taking a city, unless there's an order for massacre."

The constable leader thought the young man's head had been crushed by a door panel. He scoffed, gesturing for his subordinates to go take the man's head. His hands were not idle as he sneered, "Disturbing the populace? These bandits deserve to die! I'm eradicating harm for the people. After the brothers are done, a single knife through the heart will finish them cleanly."

In a flash, the leader found his head seized and slammed forcefully against the stone table. His head burst open, and the stone table itself cracked. The other constable leader, who had been about to forcefully engage in sexual intercourse, met the same fate. The two maids, who had narrowly escaped death, sat on the ground, desperately trying to cover their exposed flesh.

Xu Fengnian sat on a stone stool, pushing off a corpse whose head rested on the stone table.

Fan Xiaochai stood silently at the doorway, watching the scene.

Xu Fengnian told her, "Go spread the word, but don't say it came from me. Just say that killing is fine, but it must be done according to the rules."

Fan Xiaochai departed in silence.

Xu Fengnian folded his arms into his sleeves, thought for a moment, then got up and retrieved two loose outer garments from inside the house. He bent down and offered them to the two women who were weeping bitterly, clutching their heads.

Their eyes filled with terror, they only shrank back. Xu Fengnian smiled, throwing the clothes in front of them, saying, "Don't worry, it's not all a mountain of swords and a sea of fire down the mountain."

Though one of the women was terrified by the killing methods of this official from down the mountain, perhaps she finally recalled the pleasant conversations and laughter she'd shared with this handsome young man during her time there. She wiped away her tears, gathered her courage, and asked, "Lord Xu, will we die?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head and chuckled, "Of course not."

Xu Fengnian vanished in a flash, appearing at the summit of Talisman Mountain, where the light was beginning to show signs of dipping westward.

Xu Fengnian sat cross-legged on the ground and quietly asked, "Wang Xianzhi, is it true that the moment I enter the Earthly Immortal realm, you will leave your city to kill me?"

Xu Fengnian sighed, saying helplessly, "Can't you wait another year or so? Even Beiman knows to give Northern Liang a moment to catch its breath, but you're in such a hurry. Are you eager to ascend to immortality?"

Xu Fengnian suddenly stood up, his face grim.

Huang Sanjia had only ranked him sixth in the martial arts world, clearly intending to delay his final battle with Wang Xianzhi, to buy him precious time to absorb Gao Shulu's Divinity Marrow of Oblivion. But Wang Xianzhi was clearly not so easily fooled. Furthermore, Yuan Qingshan had also said that the Heavenly Gate might close any day, and Wang Xianzhi, still wishing to remain unrivaled above the Nine Heavens, certainly couldn't sit still.

So, why did Miss Hehe leave?

Xu Fengnian initially thought she wanted to see Huang Longshi one last time, but now it seemed that even if his guess was correct, she would foolishly block the east-west path once she learned Wang Xianzhi had left the East Sea.

He only hoped that Huang Longshi, the master strategist whose plans were infallible, would not let her do anything foolish, even if he had to tie her up or, failing that, knock her out.

Xu Fengnian looked up at the sky and gave a self-deprecating chuckle, "Has my luck truly run out? I am indeed a jinx, as always."

Xu Fengnian's smile faded. Since there was no need to hide anymore, he would simply wait for Wang Xianzhi to come to Northern Liang!

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged again.

He began to absorb something.

At the summit of Talisman Mountain, a magnificent and imposing aura unfolded, truly demonstrating the spirit of sitting in the north and devouring the south.

This thing was called the "mountain and river fortune."

Since the old fortune had run its course, he would orchestrate an unprecedented endeavor: to swallow the mountain and river fortune of a myriad miles.