Chapter 830: Long Rope Suspended in Midair

Earlier, hundreds of golden-armored cavalry charged, their momentum magnificent, like the rising sun over Tai'an City. Later, the founding patriarch of Longhu Mountain drew talismans on the ancient Yulei sword, akin to the first gleam of moonlight.

Those martial arts masters fortunate enough to get close to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were all utterly awestruck. However, most of Liyang's reclusive martial arts grandmasters, like dragons hidden in the abyss, adopted a cautious "know when to quit" attitude towards this inexplicable turn of events. They dared not approach the Imperial Astronomical Bureau too closely. Some grandmasters who sensed danger even began to actively retreat, fearing collateral damage. It was well known that about sixty years ago on Longhu Mountain, thousands of people witnessed the great Immortal Qi Xuanzhen's daytime ascension, which turned into a sudden catastrophe. The older generation of martial arts veterans still remembered it vividly; countless experts had their vital energy severely damaged and their mental states disturbed during Immortal Qi's 'military dissection,' preventing them from making any further progress in their martial arts cultivation for the rest of their lives. Yet, unlike the Demon Slaying Platform of the Celestial Master's Residence, the Imperial College was, after all, a paramount strategic location in the capital. Most martial artists were blocked outside by the heavily guarded inner city imperial guards. These Liyang elites, under urgent orders from the Ministry of War, were even allowed to gallop their horses in the area between the imperial palace and the inner city to prevent too many outsiders from approaching the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Furthermore, the few remaining Ministry of Justice experts, identifiable by their bronze fish pouches, were dispatched en masse. They tried to persuade the prominent martial arts figures with reason and emotion. If that failed, they would discard years of accumulated goodwill and simply tear off all pretense, slapping them with the charge of "using martial arts to defy prohibitions." If they still refused to leave, they would face imprisonment in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon! Even so, some two to three dozen "small grandmaster" level individuals, who had slipped through the net, managed to get close to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. They could even clearly see the figures of legendary figures like Deng Tai'a, Cao Changqing, and Luoyang on the nearby high walls. At this point, the armored, saber-wielding imperial guards and the Ministry of Justice experts with bronze fish pouches relinquished their oversight. Orders from above stated that these unruly martial arts vagrants only needed to have their names and sects recorded, with no direct confrontation. Afterwards, the Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice would naturally deploy forces to expel them from the city, preventing their entry into Tai'an City for the next ten years. Everyone loves a free spectacle, but not everyone had the nerve to join in the commotion right under the Emperor's nose, next to the imperial throne.

Of these roughly thirty martial arts leaders from various factions, excluding the dozen or so who voluntarily left, and the eight or nine unfortunate souls who fainted from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's astonishing vital energy affecting their own, about ten continued to stubbornly hold their ground. They stood on rooftops, upturned eaves, or atop walls, not far from each other. Most had vital energy surging within them like river water, and their expressions were not good. As for tedious acts like applauding and shouting praises, they were impossible here and now. Firstly, their status and position prevented such startled exclamations from being seemly. Secondly, the aura of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was too overwhelming; merely standing firm was difficult, let alone feigning an air of command over the world.

After throwing those eight or nine unlucky individuals far away, Chai Qingshan of East Yue Sword Pond, accompanied by his two disciples, arrived on the roof of a tavern. A white-robed girl, carrying so many swords that she resembled a sword peddler, stood beside her master. This young beauty, a disciple of a renowned school, looked ethereal in her flowing white robes, already possessing an air of an immortal fairy.

Song Tinglu, a young man with only an extremely long sword, returned panting to his master and junior sister after grimly tossing a large, unconscious man to a squad of imperial cavalry. He complained, "One should only lift as much iron as one has strength. I truly don't know what these guys were thinking. If we hadn't cleaned up their mess, they'd really be dead here. Is it worth losing decades of hard cultivation so senselessly?"

Chai Qingshan did not expel those gang leaders, sect masters, or reclusive immortals who were prominent figures in the Liyang martial arts world. He chuckled softly, "Such risky behavior might seem absurd and ridiculous, but it actually conforms to martial arts etiquette. Once they leave Tai'an City and arrive in other prefectures, when they speak of this epochal battle and say they were just a stone's throw from the King of Northern Liang at the time, imagine the immense glory it will bring them! In the martial arts world, especially after reaching a certain level, superficial things sometimes work better than a reputation earned through brute force. For instance, chatting with Lu Baijie, the Tangxi Sword Immortal who serves as Minister of War, at a wine table the day before yesterday; discussing swordsmanship with Grand Master Qi Jiajie yesterday; or personally witnessing the King of Northern Liang's fierce combat today, noting which moves were truly profound and which bore a strange resemblance to one's own signature techniques... These are all golden credentials, invaluable topics of conversation that will deeply impress their listeners."

The young man pointed a finger towards the still distant Imperial Astronomical Bureau, rolling his eyes. "A stone's throw away? More like *we* are a stone's throw away from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, alright? Do these people have no shame?!"

Song Tinglu's voice was not quiet, and those martial arts seniors nearby, the youngest of whom were already middle-aged, must have clearly heard him. Yet, none of them blushed. Each one stood tall, either with arms crossed or hands clasped behind their backs, maintaining a dignified grandmasterly bearing, as steady as a deep abyss or a towering mountain.

Chai Qingshan placed his hand on the young man's head, chuckling wryly. "Ah, you don't know the cost of things until you manage a household. When I'm no longer around, and you become the head of East Yue Sword Pond, you'll understand that these thoughtless words today might cost you hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in goodwill that you can never buy back."

Song Tinglu cautiously glanced at his junior sister. She made a face, then declared nonchalantly, "I'm not interested in being a sect master! You can be one. I want to roam the martial world, dispensing justice, just like Xu Fengnian. I'll retrace every prefecture he's visited, every famous mountain he's climbed, every tavern and teahouse he's entered!"

Song Tinglu's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he couldn't utter a single harsh word.

Is it true that behind every junior sister who falls irrevocably in love, there stands an older brother figure, a childhood sweetheart, quietly heartbroken?

Chai Qingshan suddenly reached out, taking hold of Shan Eryi and Song Tinglu, and said gravely, "Observing the battle from the sidelines, besides gaining prestige, also offers an opportunity to refine your martial arts. The key lies in whether you can calm your mind and grasp the Heavenly Dao. There was a reason why Martial Emperor City was so lively back then. Earlier, when Xuanyuan Qingfeng set up 'father-son' and 'grandfather-grandson' matches on the Great Snow Mound, why were there so many spectators? It's simple: there were opportunities to be found within them. Next, if any of Cao, Deng, or Luo make a move, you must keep your eyes wide open. Grasp as much of their essence as you can; it will greatly benefit your future martial arts cultivation. Among them, Deng Tai'a's action is the most important. After all, this Peach Blossom Sword God... is highly likely to truly *deliver* a sword today, rather than merely making a move. Everything I know, I will certainly impart to you, and you will undoubtedly learn it all in due time. However, witnessing Deng Tai'a draw his sword with your own eyes might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both of you."

The young girl, seemingly unconcerned about her future in swordsmanship, asked with a carefree smile, "Master, he's definitely going to win, right?"

Chai Qingshan instinctively looked up at the clear, cloudless sky and murmured, "Heaven knows."

Song Tinglu began counting on his fingers: Han Shengxuan, Wang Xianzhi, Sui Xiegue, Qi Jiajie, Cao Changqing, Deng Tai'a... As far as he knew these matches, Xu Fengnian either won or drew, but he hadn't actually lost a single one? The young man couldn't help but feel a little indignant. After all, the wooden-sword-wielding swordsman he admired hadn't seemed to win a single match in Tai'an City back then.

The founding patriarch of Longhu Mountain drew talismans with a broken finger, proceeding remarkably smoothly. Even as the immortal deliberately slowed down to increase the thickness of the spiritual talismans, the young prince showed no signs of intervening.

The closer it got to the final stage of this immortal battle at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the more the odds favored Longhu Mountain. Yet, the old Daoist in the lotus crown appeared increasingly solemn, even unable to suppress a hint of trepidation.

Such fluctuations in his state of mind were unprecedented for the old Daoist, not just after achieving immortal status through virtuous deeds across several lifetimes, but even before his ascension, when he served as the Protector of the Nation for thirty years in the former Liyang Dynasty.

Daoists cultivate purity and tranquility. Ordinary people might think that a mind as still as water means a stagnant pond, but that is not the case. True purity is when ripples appear on the "mind's lake" yet tranquility remains within the movement. This is somewhat similar to, yet distinct from, the Buddhist paradox of the mind moving or the flag moving.

If an immortal body is pure and its Dao Heart stable, even if the immortal body becomes sullied, it might not necessarily shake the Dao Heart. However, if cracks appear in the latter, it will certainly affect true purity.

Therefore, the old Daoist in the lotus crown knew he had to follow his true heart, for an immortal following their heart is akin to following the will of Heaven.

The old Daoist no longer rigidly adhered to the analogy of a contented fish under a bridge, as described by the Daoist saints Laozi and Zhuangzi. As a celestial immortal who had already leaped over the Dragon Gate, he intended to jump out of the water to observe, actively aligning himself with the Heavenly Dao.

Then, the old immortal truly tapped his toes and leaped slightly into the air.

As the old Daoist in the lotus crown ascended, a young prince rose with him, his chilled saber still performing that dull, monotonous horizontal slash.

When his figure was almost level with the crossbeam of the Sky-Reaching Platform, the old Daoist shook his large sleeves, extended a hand as white as jade with palm facing upwards, then abruptly pressed it down. He laughed aloud, "Where the Dharma Seal shines, great light radiates! All evil spirits, disperse!"

Not only did the young prince directly in front of the old Daoist vanish into thin air, but the hundreds of young princes densely clustered on the plaza also instantly dissipated like night-roaming ghosts suddenly encountering the midday sun.

The old Daoist looked around, but saw no trace of Xu Fengnian!

With a sudden intuition, the lotus-crowned immortal let out a soft cry and raised both hands upwards.

For every foot the Dao rises, the demonic path rises ten.

Xu Fengnian had, at some unknown point, appeared directly above the immortal, holding his saber in his left hand, and brought it down in a direct overhead cleave.

At this moment, the old Daoist scoffed, "Such a petty illusion, how can it deceive the Heavenly Heart!"

The old Daoist remained unmoving, with his hands in a posture as if holding a pagoda. However, simultaneously, using his opponent's own methods against him, the old Daoist also conjured four illusory immortals: one in front, one behind, one to the left, and one to the right. These four Dharma Forms each formed hand seals and manifested a golden lotus body. One extended a flat palm, from which a lotus bloomed. Another held two fingers together like a sword, pointing diagonally at the sky with crisscrossing sword qi. A third opened and then clenched his five fingers, creating a pillar of light that shot skyward, as if gripping a long spear piercing heaven and earth.

But the five "Xu Fengnians" instantly flickered into existence and vanished.

The central old Daoist, appearing as if he had three heads and six arms, frowned. He looked around in confusion, his eyes burning like torches, glowing with a purplish-gold radiance.

"Finally," he murmured.

The founding patriarch, who was drawing talismans on the Yulei sword, scoffed. He lightly tapped his finger on the sword's tip, leaned slightly forward, and exhaled softly onto the tip. "Seal!"

That single, simple word resonated over the Imperial Astronomical Bureau like a grand bell.

With the word of Heaven in his mouth.

A single word could determine life or death.

The talisman sword Yulei remained still, but a three-foot golden light streaked from its blade.

The golden light whirled, circling the sword-wielding immortal. Wherever the golden light went, talismans appeared out of thin air, like auspicious couplets pasted by devout children on doorframes for the New Year.

Seal the earth, and the earth cracks. Seal the rain, and the rain stops. Seal the plants and trees, and they turn to ash. Seal the flying birds, and they fall to the ground. Seal the dragons and tigers, and they are subdued.

Between the sword-wielding immortal on the ground and the lotus-crowned Daoist in the sky, numerous talismans hung suspended.

Along the distance from the latter to the former, intermittent pages of talismans successively exploded, scattering golden light. Occasionally, specks of light would fall to the ground, causing stones on the iron-hard plaza to instantly fly in all directions.

The lotus-crowned Daoist, turning to look down, suddenly narrowed his eyes and laughed loudly, "You demon! Why do you not show yourself?!"

Simultaneously, the sword-wielding immortal, seemingly casually flicked his sword tip skyward, then turned his head towards the Sky-Reaching Platform and shouted, "What are you waiting for?!"

Xie Guanying, the Confucian scholar who had been watching from the sidelines, was initially focused on the activity at the imperial palace. He seemed not to have gotten the result he desired, but it was within his expectations, a faint chill on his face. Upon hearing the calls of the two immortals, he no longer hesitated. He suddenly jerked his shoulders, lifting both sleeves upwards. "The world's pure breeze, wrapped within my sleeves! The mighty rivers and mountains, borne upon my shoulder! Eight Imperial Seals, activate the formation!"

In the sky above the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, eight Imperial Seals of varying sizes, used to safeguard the nation, suddenly appeared from all directions.

The founding patriarch of Longhu Mountain gripped the hilt of the Yulei sword with both hands and pulled it backward.

The lotus-crowned old Daoist positioned his hands as if lifting a heavy object, then heavily raised them towards his left shoulder.

In the hands of the two immortals, a long golden rope, as thick as a spear shaft, appeared.

Immortals sitting among the clouds, fishing for the destinies of the mortal realm. If a fishing line, tens of thousands of feet long, were twisted from tens of thousands of threads into a single rope, it would resemble the golden rope now held by the two immortals.

This rope passed directly through one of Xu Fengnian's shoulders!

Pinning the young prince firmly in the air, unable to move even an inch.

Blood stained the long rope.