Chapter 709: True Dragon

The woman sat on a sand dune, adopting a casual posture like a frontiersman. She was exceptionally tall, and even seated, she exuded a majestic aura. She had personally witnessed the magnificent spectacle of someone single-handedly battling the purple lightning of a heavenly tribulation. Even as one of the world’s foremost qi practitioners, she couldn’t help but feel her heart stirred. After following that person here, she saw the Celestial King’s Dharma form of Grandmaster Bronze, Huang Qing’s Earth Immortal sword strike nearing his demise, and the sudden appearance and eventual disappearance of Qi Xuanzhen.

Regarding Qi Xuanzhen’s appearance, she had a clearer understanding than anyone else. For cultivators, the concept of "karma and destiny" is like an illness that plagues ordinary people, difficult to shake off. If Qi Xuanzhen, or rather Lü Zu, wished to continue cultivating without hindrance, he had to reach a "conclusion" and completely resolve his past grievances with Grandmaster Bronze, who was a banished immortal. As for why Qi Xuanzhen, who was born from a single breath, threw Grandmaster Bronze into Guangling Dao, she guessed it might be related to Huang Sanjia. If Huang Sanjia could atone for his past mistakes, he might yet be able to return to the heavens.

Huang Qing’s death at the hands of Xu Longxiang, who had aggressively ascended to a new realm, was unexpected yet understandable. In her view, while Wang Xianzhi, the old man who had dominated the martial arts world for sixty years, undeniably defied reason with his fists, Xu Longxiang’s exceptional talent was no less formidable; in fact, he was even more illogical than the person in her distant sight. Even if Huang Qing’s aptitude, temperament, and strength were among the top martial artists, encountering Xu Longxiang, who was willing to self-destruct to summon heavenly lightning, was still too soon. It might have been a fair match only after Huang Qing truly became a Sword Immortal.

Due to Qi Xuanzhen’s intervention, the situation did not completely tilt in Northern Mang’s favor, but the momentum towards collapse remained unstoppable.

The white-clad woman’s expression was complex as she scooped up two handfuls of sand. She hesitated, unsure whether to intervene.

Tantai Pingjing and the Six-Pearl Bodhisattva from Nalanda Mountain were now both aboard Beiliang’s "pirate ship," each with their own secret agenda. The latter hoped to use Beiliang’s cavalry to unify the Western Regions and eventually spread Buddhist teachings unimpeded throughout the Central Plains. In contrast to the female Dharma King, the Guanyin Sect was less utilitarian. Tantai Pingjing’s original intention was simply to "mend the sky." Her sect’s founder had left behind a four-character prophecy: "Heaven tilts to the Northwest." Later, her master, through a lifetime of dedicated study, reached a profound understanding, but only deduced the vague conclusion: "A great rift opens in the northwestern sky, and vital energy pours back into the earth, just as seawater floods rivers." Tantai Pingjing could only proceed cautiously, taking one step at a time. If Beiliang truly was the culprit, then the Guanyin Sect, as Beiliang’s current ally, would have to switch sides. However, this secret, deeply hidden in her heart, Tantai Pingjing had never disclosed to that person. Not unwillingly, but unable to.

Tantai Pingjing glanced into the distance. The fifth bolt of heavenly lightning was poised to strike. That person, after quickly taking a new breath, was ready to face it.

Before this, he had tried to stop Xu Longxiang from heading north, but he was quickly targeted by the heavenly lightning above, leaving him no time for other concerns. It was simply impossible for him to make any additional moves.

Life is full of helplessness. This was undoubtedly another instance of "not unwillingly, but unable to," and even he, who had withstood four bolts of heavenly lightning, was no exception.

They had a telepathic connection, understanding each other instantly.

Although Tantai Pingjing had received no explicit warning, she had already grasped his intention.

She sighed, no longer hesitating. She raised her arms, her wide sleeves spreading like wings.

Her fists, pressed together, slowly pulled apart, and yellow sand trickled from between her fingers.

As the yellow sand fell, each grain was distinct, suspending itself in sequence.

A celestial waterfall descended; it sprayed like pearls, flowed like a ribbon, and resonated like a zither.

This wondrous scene, as if crafted by divine hands, appeared before her. Although it occurred only a short distance away and couldn’t be called magnificent, it was absolutely shocking.

The Guanyin Sect possessed two secret profound artifacts that allowed it to overpower the qi practitioners of the Northern Dragon-Supporting Faction. One was the "Land to Celestial Court Painting" held by the Charcoal Girl, which almost caused Xu Fengnian’s downfall. The other was the "Moon Well Heavenly Mirror," which was increasingly heard of but rarely seen. Both were designed to counter the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, preventing it from overstepping the bounds of heavenly laws and confining it within established rules. The latter had appeared for the first time in centuries, precisely when Tantai Pingjing tested Xu Longxiang not long ago. At that time, the talismanic Moon Mirror was formed by two drops of green water falling and then arcing into two lines. It was also then that someone, defying all reason, passed through the Moon Mirror as if shattering the bright moon on the sea, causing ripples in the heart of Grandmaster Tantai, who had cultivated for nearly a century to achieve a state of unwavering calm.

Just as literature enjoys rugged terrain, the path of cultivation is precisely the opposite: it fears fluctuations in one’s Dao heart the most. Tantai Pingjing needed to smooth out those ripples and, more importantly, calm her Dao heart. This time, helping him as an exception would serve as repayment for the guiding grace of a "previous life." After this, regardless of how the Beiliang-Northern Mang war unfolded, she would owe nothing and proceed strictly according to the rules.

Tantai Pingjing sat upright and composed. Before her was the static waterfall made of yellow sand, which was, more accurately, another manifested form of the Moon Well Heavenly Mirror.

She suddenly pulled her arms outwards, and the Heavenly Mirror rapidly expanded, standing upright before her.

Tantai Pingjing extended a finger and gently pushed the mirror’s surface.

The mirror glided away horizontally, then vanished in a flash.

Three hundred *li* to the north, the Moon Well Heavenly Mirror, now magnified countless times, slowly reappeared.

South of the mirror, Xu Longxiang was running with his head down, gripping a sword in his mouth.

North of the mirror was a colossal creature that had angrily emerged after its slumbering vessel was shattered by Qi Xuanzhen.

The youth and the colossal creature, which ordinarily should only appear embroidered on dragon robes and python garments, were supposed to collide where the mirror appeared, leading to an earth-shattering duel.

The enormous creature arrived, churning clouds and bringing rain. Occasionally, a ferocious head, fluttering long whiskers, and golden eyes could be seen amidst the mists.

When it sensed the aura emanating from the Heavenly Mirror ahead, a hint of human-like mockery appeared in its large golden eyes.

After a slight pause, it plunged forward, crashing directly into the mirror.

Xu Fengnian, his back to Tantai Pingjing, felt a sense of relief. Without turning around, he merely gave a slight nod. This subtle gesture, at that moment, was the utmost expression of his gratitude towards the qi practitioner grandmaster.

Tantai Pingjing gazed at the solitary figure, a halo of purple lightning above his head, and her vision inexplicably blurred with tears.

Once, a man with frosted temples stood by the Guangling River, saying that in this life and the next, he wished to know all good people, read all good books, and see all good landscapes. He never envied the scenery of the heavens, no matter how beautiful.

After Tantai Pingjing mobilized her forces and deployed the sect’s critical artifact, her expression became somewhat dispirited. She sat on the sand dune, lost in thought.

For Xu Fengnian, who was currently resisting the heavenly tribulation, this was by no means a timely help; rather, it was making things even worse.

There is a saying in the world about dragons and serpents in the wilderness: a great python in the mountains becomes a flood dragon upon entering a river, and only then can it ascend to become a true dragon. During the Spring and Autumn Nine Kingdoms period, as wars raged, aside from Western Shu, which had always kept a true dragon confined, the other eight kingdoms each had nascent true dragons nurtured by their own destinies. With the Zhao imperial family of Liyang unifying the Central Plains, Northern Mang, which previously had only flood dragons but no true dragons, seized the opportunity to nurture one, intending to conquer the Central Plains and claim sovereignty. The headstrong Zhao Huangchao also fortuitously nurtured a black dragon in Dilung Mountain, and, even more sinisterly, laid out a scheme at Xiamawei Post Station to devour the destiny of Western Chu and harm the Xu family of Northern Liang. Now, Xie Feiyu, following Chen Zhibao into Shu, was capturing flood dragons and nurturing true dragons to help Chen Zhibao achieve sainthood through the "Three Teachings Furnace." Once successful, not only would the destiny of Shu land surge, but Chen Zhibao alone would be able to contend with Xu Fengnian, the so-called foremost figure in the world, and even have a greater chance of victory.

There were three true dragons in the world, and surprisingly, all of them were ultimately targeting the man before her.

Especially the one from Northern Mang, which was about to descend upon this place.

Tantai Pingjing looked at his back and softly asked, "Don’t you think you’re pitiful?"

She took a deep breath, stood up, and her heart finally became as calm as still water again. She no longer looked at the man for whom even a narrow escape from death was a luxury, and turned to walk down the dune.

Xu Fengnian had successively shattered four bolts of heavenly lightning using Li Chungang’s "Green Serpent in a Sleeve," Wudang’s Old Grandmaster Wang Chonglou’s "Two Fingers Severing Rivers," the "Shaking Kunlun" technique learned in the Northern Mang canyons, and Old Huang’s "Sword Nine Thousand Miles."

These four moves were all about adapting to circumstances, blocking soldiers with generals and stopping floods with earth. Xu Fengnian looked up at the fifth bolt of heavenly lightning, which continued to rumble and accumulate purple qi and white electricity, remaining silent.

If "immortals touching one’s head" signifies longevity and immortality, then "purple lightning striking from above" implies that life and death are determined by heaven, doesn’t it?

At this moment, Xu Fengnian couldn’t utter any grand words about human triumph over destiny. He simply could not die.

This time, Xu Fengnian did not passively withstand the lightning. Instead, he tapped his toes, creating a massive spiderweb pattern on the yellow sand. He shot up from the ground, raising one palm high to meet the descending heavenly lightning.

If the sky were to fall, one must at least try to hold it up with one hand.

When Xu Fengnian’s palm touched the majestic purple lightning, it was like a needle point meeting a heavy hammer. The thick bolt of lightning did not dissipate down his hand; instead, it condensed into a flat, mirror-like surface, maintaining its overall downward momentum, clearly denying Xu Fengnian any chance of opportunism.

In Xu Fengnian’s palm, like a common person catching rain in their cupped hands, the lightning splashed out like water droplets.

This scene was spectacular.

Xu Fengnian’s eyes were bloodshot, and the red threads, secretly learned from the "Human Cat" Han Diaosi and continuously nurtured, spread across his entire body like thousands of tiny red serpents.

The heavenly lightning did not strike Xu Fengnian back to the ground, but its descent was an irresistible force. The purple lightning began to press down layer by layer from above. Although its momentum seemed to diminish, the weight and power of the heavenly lightning remained undiminished.

Half an incense stick later, Xu Fengnian, his arms trembling, remained suspended high in the air. However, the continuously compressing heavenly lightning, which had been falling straight down, transformed into a narrow plane just over three inches thick.

Xu Fengnian pursed his lips and clenched his teeth, but blood continued to seep from between his teeth, filling his mouth.

Xu Fengnian expelled the last bit of air from his body. His slightly bent arm instantly straightened, and he pushed upward with his palm, his body rising by ten feet. Although the entire purple lightning mirror did not shatter, he managed to create a clear indentation in its center.

Although Tantai Pingjing had already walked down the dune, moving further and further away from Xu Fengnian, she was still certain that this fifth bolt of heavenly lightning would likely be unable to suppress him.

It was only then that she realized it was snowing.

It was just that the heavenly tribulation was interfering here, preventing snow from falling for now.

She suddenly turned her head sharply, a mix of anger, surprise, and panic interwoven in her expression.

For the first time, she felt regret, and immediately rushed back up the sand dune, looking out.

The situation had become extremely dire.

She had sent out the Moon Well Heavenly Mirror, and of course, she knew the outcome of the collision between Xu Longxiang and the colossal creature with scales as large as basins. Though seemingly close, it was worlds apart; the creature had not touched the youth but instead came directly to this spot. What followed quickly showed the grand qi practitioner what "unpredictable heavenly secrets" truly meant. Historical records stated that celestial dragons could be reclusive or manifest, tiny or gigantic. A celestial dragon once appeared in the East Sea, opening its mouth from the clouds to swallow the sea, with water pouring into its maw like a mighty waterfall, an utterly magnificent sight. What Tantai Pingjing saw was remarkably similar to such records. The true dragon, which had been dormant in Northern Mang’s Xijing for years, after passing through the mirror, was briefly restrained by the Moon Well Heavenly Mirror’s power, becoming as small and ethereal as a snake, floating and meandering. But once it opened its mouth, it quickly swallowed the fifth bolt of heavenly lightning, which Xu Fengnian was about to shatter. With that, it abruptly shook its body, shedding the heavenly "rules" imposed by the mirror. Its size and aura rapidly increased, instantly growing to the length of twenty or thirty *zhang*, like a small flood dragon.

It did not rush to take advantage of Xu Fengnian’s predicament. Instead, like a python with a bulging belly after a hearty meal, it quietly coiled in the sky, coldly staring at Xu Fengnian.

It was as if it were gloatingly watching a show.

The fifth heavenly lightning bolt had dissipated, but the sky, densely covered with dark clouds, became even more tumultuous with thunder. Out of nowhere, another bolt of purple lightning appeared higher up.

Seven bolts became eight.

It only made things worse.

Such was Tantai Pingjing’s unintentional blunder, and even more so was the creature’s malevolent intent.

The Heavenly Being controlling the lightning, seemingly enraged by the broken rules, did not punish the true dragon from Northern Mang. Instead, it targeted Xu Fengnian, who had inadvertently caused this "assistance."

The sixth bolt of heavenly lightning descended upon the world without giving Xu Fengnian any chance to breathe.

This bolt of purple lightning was not thick as a mountain; instead, it was incredibly thin!

A hair’s breadth from death.

It was truly a single thread’s distance.

Xu Fengnian almost immediately abandoned the idea of retreating. Relying on instinct, he tried his best to tilt his head backward. His head barely dodged the thin lightning bolt, but his abdomen could not escape.

He was instantly pierced through by this purple thread!

The youth, blood-related to Xu Fengnian, had initially looked around aimlessly three hundred *li* away, unsure why he failed to intercept the great serpent. When he turned back and saw the purple lightning connecting heaven and earth, he seemed to realize something and began to sprint back the way he came.

For some unknown reason, the seventh bolt of lightning was surprisingly far less imposing than the previous six. The thunder gradually diminished, and the lightning faded, but the black clouds in the sky began to turn purple.

Tantai Pingjing heard no thunder, but her heart pounded uncontrollably like a drum.

She was merely an outsider, yet she was already in such a state. How, then, would that person face it?

In the distance, the true dragon, its body growing ever larger, watched with emotionless golden eyes, its two whiskers swaying lightly and gracefully.

Xu Fengnian landed back on the ground. His right hand, which had braced against the sixth lightning bolt, still crackled with lingering electrical light. With his left hand, he gently pressed his profusely bleeding abdomen, barely managing to prevent the wound from worsening.

He looked up at the sky.

What Qin Emperor, what Emperor Zhenwu, what most powerful vassal king of the Liyang Dynasty?

His mother was gone, Xu Xiao was gone, his eldest sister was gone, and his second sister was in a wheelchair, having nearly died back then.

Guarding the northwestern gate for the people of the Central Plains—if he could do it, that was best, but if he truly couldn’t, he wouldn’t feel too much guilt.

But who dared to take away Huang Man’er, Xu Fengnian’s brother?

Absolutely not.

Towards the end of his second journey through the martial arts world, the old man in sheepskin armor shattered two thousand six hundred sets of armor with a single sword strike at Guangling River. At that time, Xu Fengnian had no way to reason with Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling; it was Xu Xiao who got justice for him. Xu Xiao had said then that he was old, and from now on, Xu Fengnian would have to "reason" with people himself.

So today, Xu Fengnian would "reason" with heaven itself.

Above him, the seventh bolt of heavenly lightning subtly swirled, concealing its might, poised but not striking.

This allowed snowflakes, which had originally been fluttering down to the ground only a few *li* away, to drift obliquely with the wind.

The Beiliang Saber, stuck in the ground in the distance, was not conspicuous.

In the snow, there was a saber.