Chapter 824: One Immortal After Another Ahead

Jin Xin'an, the foremost qi practitioner of the Northern lands in this dynasty, stood beside Xie Guanying and Chen Zhibao. As he overlooked the scene outside the Qintianjian, or Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he watched the young vassal king, who, despite being caught in battle, still vigorously suppressed his imposing aura. Jin Xin'an suddenly felt a pang of emotion, wondering, "Why such restraint? Since you've already fought your way to the Qintianjian, why not unleash your full power?"

As a "white-robed dragon supporter," leader of the Zhao Gou, and the official Vice-Supervisor of the Qintianjian, Jin Xin'an was privy to many secrets unknown even to the capital's highest-ranking officials. He knew, for instance, that the two great formations were the true pillars against supreme martial artists like Wang Xianzhi and Cao Changqing. Just as Beiman's Western Capital once used large jars to conceal flood dragons and seek out various anomalies in the human realm, the Qintianjian's methods were equally potent, perhaps even more so. Jin Xin'an was also aware that no means were spared in targeting the young man named Xu. In Mr. Xie's strategic planning, the selection of three hundred Imperial Guards wasn't solely based on their combat prowess, but on their deep connection to the 'Qi' — the fortune or destiny — of the Liyang Zhao imperial family. Furthermore, persuading the current Emperor to urgently deploy the 1,200 heavy cavalry trained by Ma Lulang into the capital was primarily intended to drain Xu Fengnian's own Qi.

As a paramount master of 'Qi observation,' Jin Xin'an understood that matters of Qi and destiny, though seemingly ethereal, are, in simple terms, the will of the people and the convergence of heaven and earth when the time is right. Conversely, a loss of Qi signifies the abandonment of the mandate of heaven, leading to a hero's downfall and the collapse of all endeavors. Therefore, Mr. Xie's true ruthlessness wasn't merely disregarding the lives of three thousand armored soldiers. Instead, he aimed to make Xu Fengnian personally dismantle the Qi that Northern Liang had so painstakingly gathered. When Qi Jiajie unleashed his sword towards Liang, it failed to compel Xu Fengnian to expend Northern Liang's Qi; the young vassal king had fought with his life to prevent that 'one sword from ten thousand miles' from entering Youzhou. This time, Mr. Xie was once again forcing Xu Fengnian into a difficult choice: to act impetuously, storm the Qintianjian, and recklessly confront the two great formations regardless of the consequences? Or to preserve a glimmer of hope for Northern Liang, caught between Liyang and Beiman, to contend for the Central Plains?

Now, it seemed Xu Fengnian's state of mind had shifted considerably compared to when Qi Jiajie had entered Liang with a single sword; he was no longer holding back or showing hesitation.

Although on the opposing side of the young vassal king, Jin Xin'an couldn't help but feel genuine admiration upon witnessing the scene at the entrance. The new martial arts world of Liyang, led by this young man and featuring figures like Li Yufu, Qi Xianxia, and Xuanyuan Qingfeng, was truly astounding.

Outside the Qintianjian, Deng Tai'a had, just yesterday, displayed a spectacular feat of a thousand swords in a flash within Tai'an City. Today, Xu Fengnian applied what he had just learned. Before each of the hundred Imperial Guards standing outside the gate, a young vassal king, who had forcefully 'borrowed' a Great Achievement Saber, appeared. All one hundred Imperial Guards were almost instantly repelled by a single armor-piercing strike, crashing backward into the outer wall. The entire thick wall groaned and trembled precariously. Any robust guards who refused to retreat and attempted to regain their sabers to continue blocking the way were swiftly stabbed through with a blade, pinned to the wall, man and saber together.

Of the three hundred Imperial Guards brought by Yang Dongping, fewer than a hundred were still alive. Yang Dongping himself was the first to fall.

Meanwhile, the two carriages had only just reached the corner at the end of the street, barely passing the heavy cavalry that had finally launched its charge.

Inside one carriage, Chen Yu lifted the curtain. Through the gap, she saw at the very rear of the armored cavalry many tall riders being armored and mounted with the help of supply soldiers. Besides them, there were also hundreds of unridden warhorses.

Chen Yu exclaimed in surprise, "I thought this army would enter Tai'an City already fully armored!"

The proprietress of the Jiujiu Inn couldn't help but chuckle. "My silly girl," she said, "this is heavy cavalry, a unit that rarely appeared even during the Spring and Autumn Wars. They would never wear full armor during marches. Before engaging the enemy, the horses they ride are always auxiliary horses. Otherwise, with both rider and horse fully armored, over time, both would become exhausted. Forget about sweeping through the battlefield and delivering decisive blows; they would likely collapse from exhaustion before even reaching a full charge. Donning armor just before battle is the rule for heavy cavalry. Only then do they have enough stamina to tear through the enemy's densest and most crucial formations. But even with such careful preservation of their horses' strength, it's remarkable for them to manage two long-distance, back-and-forth charges on the battlefield while maintaining formation. As for a thousand-strong heavy cavalry unit performing intricate flanking maneuvers, that's purely fiction from historical novels and not to be taken seriously."

Chen Yu reluctantly withdrew her gaze, lowered the curtain, and sighed, "Aunt Hong, so that's how it is! I used to think 'iron cavalry' meant they could gallop for a thousand li in full armor."

The proprietress's eyes seemed distant as she softly said, "To truly know the valor of the iron cavalry, you'd have to go to Northern Liang and witness their battles firsthand. I only heard about it casually from my husband back then. But Xu Xiao, fueled by alcohol, used to thump his chest and boast grandly that one day he would lead over a hundred thousand elite cavalry to defeat a million Northern Barbarians, making them cower like turtles, not daring to leave their homes. It was strange enough that my husband, Xun Ping, a poor scholar with empty pockets, and Xu Xiao, a rough man who still had to consider the Ministry of War's opinion, could drink together and brag so wildly. Wu Su and I, as women, always felt quite helpless watching them at the wine table, acting like they were the only heroes in the world."

Xie Guanying suddenly teased, "Are you truly not going to fight Xu Yanbing? Or are you waiting until you both achieve that 'one step' and 'half step' breakthrough before having a life-and-death battle similar to Xu Fengnian and Wang Xianzhi? But let me tell you now, such an opportunity might not come, for either of you."

Chen Zhibao reached out, and a streak of light suddenly descended from the sky, landing on the Tongtian Platform.

Chen Zhibao grasped the Plum Wine Spear, gently drew it out, and then vanished in a flash.

Even though Jin Xin'an had immediately ascended to the Grand Heavenly Phenomenon realm, he involuntarily retreated when the long spear landed. At that moment, the Qi practitioner master understood a stark truth: his own cultivation, in the eyes of people like Xu Fengnian, Chen Zhibao, and Xu Yanbing, might be akin to an ant's circus act.

Xie Guanying turned and shot a sharp glance at Jin Xin'an. The latter steadied himself, nodded, and, dressed in white, swept downstairs.

In a secluded pavilion within the Qintianjian, Wu Lingsu, the great Daoist master and Northern Feathered Official of the Liyang Dynasty, dressed in a purple-gold Daoist robe, adjusted his attire with Jin Xin'an after the latter entered. They each took an incense stick from two elderly Daoists who had guarded the building for years and approached a large table carved from Zitan wood. On the table stood an ancient incense burner, emanating an ethereal mist, with a large incense stick, as thick as a child's arm, perpetually burning within it; its flame was not to be extinguished for a single day. Before arriving, Jin Xin'an had not only donned the uniform of the Qintianjian Vice-Supervisor but had also borrowed the Supervisor's waist token to hang at his side. Wu Lingsu, for his part, had made a grand display by bringing the golden imperial edict issued to him by the court. The edict bore the vermilion imprint of the 'Son of Heaven's Seal,' specifically used for sacrificial rites to heaven, earth, and all deities, chosen from the six great seals, which included the 'Emperor's Three Seals' and the 'Son of Heaven's Three Seals.'

Jin Xin'an and Wu Lingsu reverently placed their incense sticks on either side of the censer.

Both spoke in unison.

Jin Xin'an, with hands clasped, looked straight ahead and said in a deep voice, "Enforce Heaven's Justice."

Wu Lingsu lowered his gaze, bowed, and said, "To pacify the four barbarians."

The wall behind the incense burner was shrouded in layers of smoke.

Faintly visible were solemn, life-sized portraits hanging on the wall.

As Jin Xin'an and Wu Lingsu each finished their four-word pronouncements, the thick smoke gradually dispersed, and the previously indistinct portraits began to reveal their true forms.

Indeed, true masters only reveal themselves when necessary.

The portraits hanging on the wall were precisely those of the great Daoist masters who had ascended from Longhu Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion throughout history.

Jin Xin'an's expression was complex, recalling Xie Guanying's earlier words to him: "Ask not whether there are gods in the world, but how many people throughout history have ascended." Then, the figures depicted in these portraits were indeed true ascended beings, some riding dragons, others cranes, or carried by divine carriages.

The world only knew that the Celestial Masters of Longhu Mountain shared the same surname as the Liyang Zhao imperial family, but the depth of their connection could be traced back to Liyang's founding emperor.

Because of Wudang Mountain, Zhao Huangchao, a scion of imperial nobility, even had to hide his name on Longhu Mountain, cultivating in seclusion and raising malevolent dragons in Difu Mountain to restrain the Northwest Black Tortoise.

The three incense sticks in the censer, which had been burning with faint glows, instantly burst into three brilliant flames. The central stick, in particular, rapidly burned down to ash at a visibly accelerated pace.

When the incense finished burning, the hanging portraits on the wall stirred without a breeze.

A sound like rustling pages filled the pavilion.

The two new portraits hanging on the far left and right were the first to sway and exhibit anomalies. Three inches outside the portraits, a mysterious, rippling 'water-flower mirror' appeared.

Two Daoist masters, dressed in yellow and purple robes, emerged from the mirrors.

Their forms ethereal, they stepped out from the portraits and mirrors, floated to the ground, and moved towards the pavilion's exit.

One after another, venerable Daoist masters with a transcendent aura landed on the ground and gracefully floated out towards the door.

Some immortals carried ancient swords, some held purple-gold treasure scrolls, some held whisk brooms. Among the last three immortals to appear, one rode an auspicious white deer, singing generously.

After the White Deer Immortal, two immortals appeared side by side. One had an unusual, refined face, a lotus crown on his head, and flowing crane-feather robes. Unlike the preceding immortals, both his demeanor and gaze carried a distinct human warmth, an air of "Heaven and Earth pity me, and I pity all sentient beings." The other immortal accompanying him was exceedingly young, appearing around thirty, with an aura of fierce resolve in his brows. Upon landing, he casually raised his hand and grasped the talisman sword 'Yulei,' which had been enshrined in the pavilion for centuries. He weighed it in his hand, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Jin Xin'an maintained his respectful posture with clasped hands, not daring to look away.

Wu Lingsu, widely regarded throughout the Liyang court and populace as someone who had stumbled into a high position by sheer luck, was trembling with fear and already drenched in sweat.

One by one, heavenly immortals appeared in the earthly Qintianjian. Most simply 'passed through' the infantry formation of the Li family's armored soldiers, arriving directly at the Qintianjian's main entrance. Two armored soldiers' eyes suddenly glazed over, their bodies then radiating purple-gold light, their eyes turning golden, and their aura becoming magnificent. The rest of the immortals lined up at the entrance, their positions precisely mirroring the portraits inside the pavilion.

The immortals who had replaced the three hundred Imperial Guards displayed various expressions. On the right, an immortal with purple qi rising from his feet turned to look at "Zhao Danxia," the recently ascended former Grand Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain beside him, and asked with a smile, "Is this the one?"

With every word he spoke, the area near the Qintianjian gate seemed to be graced by heavenly music.

Zhao Danxia nodded gently. "Indeed, this is the one who abandoned the true form of Emperor Xuanwu in this world, severing his own path to immortality."

The immortal wreathed in purple qi slightly frowned, glaring at the young man dressed in mourning white, and sharply rebuked, "Utterly impious!"

Meanwhile, on the far left, the elderly Daoist master Zhao Xiyi, who had ascended alongside Zhao Danxia, was speaking with an ancestral master beside him. Upon hearing that it was this man who had blocked Zhao Huangchao's path to ascension, the ancestral master became furious, flying swords forming a formation around his body, and softly exclaimed, "Presumptuous!"

When this immortal uttered those two words, the bells and drums of all Daoist temples in the capital suddenly rang out.

Their peals resonated throughout Tai'an City.

A more centrally positioned immortal, whose broad Daoist robe faintly revealed golden armor beneath, glanced at the charging cavalry on the left side of the street and smiled faintly.

A burst of golden light erupted, sweeping towards the leading cavalry general.

The cavalryman was instantly possessed by an immortal; his entire being glowed brightly, radiating brilliance.

The golden-armored immortal charged forth on horseback.

One immortal after another led the way.

Xu Fengnian watched these high-and-mighty ascended beings with an expressionless face. He said nothing, only tightening his grip on the Liang Saber in his hand.

That was all.