Li Guanyi was completely unaware of the secret letter Xue Daoyong had received from the Capital City, nor did he know that Changsun Wuchou had written a secret letter to send to the Duke Clan outside the border. From Li Guanyi's perspective, he simply felt an increasing sense of oppression, as if a storm was brewing on the horizon.
The East Continent's Stargazing School, the Upper Three Seating of the Yin Yang Family.
The vassals under the Duke of Ying Country located outside the border.
The Xue Family, a chess piece placed beyond the border.
Great changes were looming over the world, mighty figures lay dormant, like storm clouds passing over a vast marsh, with thunder rumbling deeply.
Even though he didn't say anything, Li Guanyi increasingly felt the importance of power. He longed to enter the realm, to reach that level which seems exceedingly special among all families and schools. Ever since Changsun Wuchou had arrived here, Xue Daoyong seemed to have something on his mind, often deep in thought, sitting in silence.
Li Guanyi went to the secret realm to cultivate more and more diligently, every time he returned, he could easily be found by [Siming].
Clang!
Chopsticks struck the table, making a crisp sound.
[Siming] sat on a stool, right beside Li Guanyi, with the huge Mystic Turtle lying quietly next to them.
This place was the tavern where the old shopkeeper of Huichun Hall had once taken Li Guanyi to eat. Siming also liked such a place, holding a cup of cheap wine, savoring it leisurely, his gaze turned outward, saying, "The clouds are gathering in the sky, it seems like Zu is about to arrive..."
"A major crisis is coming."
Li Guanyi remembered, a few days ago when Changsun Wuchou had come, this old [Siming] gentleman had also come hastily to tell him that a Mister surnamed Zu would be coming. When Li Guanyi asked what for, the old man laughed, pointed in the direction of Jiangzhou City, and said, "To stir up this stagnant pool."
Thanks to the Mystic Turtle's explanation, Li Guanyi roughly understood.
This Mister Zu was a master of Mathematics, heading to Jiangzhou City to rescue General Yue.
[Siming] held a cup of strong liquor, made from the root of a plant, which only had the spicy sensation in the throat without any intoxicating aroma, a drink that strong laborers liked, seeking the intense sensation like a knife scraping the throat.
The old man swallowed a sip of liquor, smacked his lips as if even more flavorful than the Imperial Palace's sacrificial wine, shook his head, looked at the young man opposite him, and laughed, "You are thinking about entering the realm and you want to reach the highest level of entry. The Military School embodies the Hundred Battles Saint Body, the Taoist has the Innate Taoist Embryo, the Buddhist speaks of reincarnation."
"The Confucians seek those with the Heavenly Mandate, and the Mo School values the heart of benevolence and righteousness."
"In our line, it is not only about fighting but also about conforming to the time, location, and harmony among people."
Li Guanyi asked, "What are the time and location?"
[Siming] grinned, stretched out a finger and pointed to the sky outside, the clouds were thick, and said, "Haven't you already felt it yourself? If you read through history, whenever chaos arises, there will be great talents emerging, just like the waves of rivers, allowing Flood Dragons to rise with the tide."
"Now, the small Guan Yi City is a convergence point for the great currents of the world."
"It is not the largest, but it is not small either."
"Chen Country will hold a major sacrificial ceremony for the ancestors in two months' time."
"Such a ceremony requires a [Yin Yang Master] like me, as well as a Master of Mathematical Scripture, among which Mister Zu is the strongest of our time... When such a person steps into Jiangzhou, he can persuade the Emperor of Chen to change certain decisions."
"And Mister Zu's predictive abilities are sufficient to break the formation that imprisons General Yue..."
"No matter what, they hope to stop him from entering the Capital City."
"Moreover, he's likely already been targeted for assassination."
Assassination.
Li Guanyi asked, "Is that senior safe upon arriving at Guan Yi City?"
Siming, in a tipsy state, said, "That's why we must build momentum here, to hold a gathering of renowned scholars that will catch the attention of the world here, and then let Zu enter the spotlight, step to the forefront. If he does that, he will be safe. With overwhelming momentum, no one would dare to touch him."
"Those who attempted to kill him before will have to protect him now."
The elder said, "Strange, isn't it? I find it strange too."
"Those people from the Capital are really awkward."
"They have to do all sorts of things but don't want others to know."
"Some matters are worthless in the shadows; even the most distinguished scholars can be assassinated without a second thought. But if certain matters are brought to light, then they become significant issues that not even ten thousand taels of gold can cover. They would have to endure even if they were insulted to their faces."
Siming stroked his chin beard and commented, "It's like urinating. As an old man, I can relieve myself on an old tree anywhere I like, comfortably and with satisfaction, without anyone being able to arrest me. But what if I were to do it on an old tree over the Emperor's tomb?"
"What if someone saw this act?"
"And what if the person who happened to see it was the Emperor himself?"
"Wouldn't that change everything?"
"Even if that person might not care about the act itself, due to the circumstances, they would still react in great anger, and act according to their status and stance, influenced by the momentum at play. That is the nature of power. The world is like a vast stagnant pond; everyone inside is affected."
Siming looked towards the sky with rare solemnity and said:
"However, these are just the ramblings of an old man, just listen and let it be. Look, all the sects have gathered here, we have a grand Literary Meeting, with Literary Energy soaring to the skies, that's momentum; and as for Zu, his dignified and upright entry here is like a Flood Dragon emerging from encirclement on a Go board."
Li Guanyi said, "Why not go outside to receive him?"
The elder was silent for a while, his eyes clear and sober without any trace of drunkenness, and whispered:
"If we could receive him outside, that would be good; but we do not know how many among the renowned scholars of the world can be trusted, nor how many might turn out to be traitors. The bones of Martial Artists may not be solid, and the hearts of scholars may not be pure."
"Beneath the armor could lurk jackals or brave men, and beneath the robe, swine or people of integrity."
"Who knows, even an old man like me cannot discern..."
"Therefore, he cannot expose his real position; he can only come to find us. It's just like I said earlier, when a gathering of scholars convenes, even the spineless can exude a semblance of integrity."
"And in the Martial World, some will help Zu, and some will obstruct."
"This time, the Mo School, Taoists, Confucianists, Martial World, Court, Martial Artists, both literati and warriors converge in Guan Yi City like the Dragon and the Tiger meeting. Tell me, doesn't that signify momentum rising with wind and cloud? If he can leap over this hurdle, he can indeed establish a superior foundation."
Siming patted Li Guanyi's shoulder.
Letting out a burp.
Showering the young man with the smell of alcohol.
His eyes were blurry with drunkenness, and his previous words seemed nothing more than the ramblings of an intoxicated man.
Li Guanyi paid the old man's wine and food bill as rain began to fall from the sky, gentle as lard. Li Guanyi left behind an umbrella and walked into the rain with his own, as Old Si Ming leisurely observed the scenery outside, watching the rain fall like a string of pearls and splashing water flowers upon hitting the ground.
Counting one, two, three, four, five, he suddenly burst into laughter.
The chubby shopkeeper smiled, "The senior just now was discussing the very reasoning of this world."
Men often relish discussing grand matters.
The old man slapped the table and laughed heartily, drunkenly and proudly stating,
"A bit uncivilized, but more or less correct."
"In the end, the great and small matters of this world are no different from an old man's piss!"
Smiling amiably, the fat shopkeeper agreed with a series of yeses.
Old Si Ming then slowly took a bowl, poured a strong drink in it, and set it on the stool.
The Mystic Turtle bowed its head to sip the strong drink, while the old man gazed at the sky outside.
His eyes could see the qi fortune of heaven and earth converging like waves, the Mo School, Taoist, Confucianism, Yin Yang Family, the court, Martial World, literati, martial artists. He tapped his chopsticks against the table, glasses, ding ding dong dong ding ding dong, merging with the sound of the rain into a ballad.
Mystic Turtle drank with its head bowed, Si Ming laughed loudly, belting out a song with the voice of an old farmer:
"With wind and rain in harmony, people are happy, yet none can compare to the imperial city's robes of vermilion and purple, the world is my field to harvest at will, the common folk are my cattle to drive as I please,"
"Study, study, study!"
"After studying poetry and lyrics, after speaking of prose and songs, without error."
"Lips to heaven, mouth to earth, no highs or lows, many clever words and flowery language to remember!"
"Speak of peace!"
"Pursue peace!"
"In purple and red garb, feigning peace, the common people turned pigs and dogs."
"Order them forward and they dare not go back, lift the left foot and dare not lift the right, turn them out one way and back another, stir their hearts to restless angst, with force and raised head draw swords, smash this damned world into two halves with a single blow!"
"Only to be blasted powerless by a piss, leaving me at my wits' end."
"Barely endured to watch three hundred years pass, mocked and laughed to death by this illustrious age's heroes!"
"Hahaha, mocked and laughed to death by this illustrious age's heroes!"
The old man knocked over the wine cup and beaker, drunkenly flopping forward and toppling the drinkware, laying there quietly, snoring loudly, his white hair disheveled. The absurdity of the ballad ended with grandeur, and then, like the rain, it stopped completely.
In front of his humble dwelling, he was drunk with sleep.
Such was his grand carefree spirit.
Li Guanyi watched the man, wondering if he was foolish or carefree, chaotic or magnificent, and then he turned and left.
The rain gradually grew heavier, and the young man, wearing a black saber, walked on the bluestone pavement. Rain fell upon his umbrella, sliding off and dropping. Ahead, he saw a line of people wearing straw hats, straw sandals on their feet, and hair tied with black strings.
At their waists hung heavy, black swords.
The young man brushed past the group of men in black clothes with heavy swords.
The lead big man had a calm gaze that swept past the youth, while Li Guanyi kept his eyes focused ahead.
Beside the big man, an invisible exotic beast paced along.
Another one…
Li Guanyi's desire to enter the realm intensified.
Three days later, within the secret realm.
The heavy saber was deflected, and the man opposite launched his weapon at Li Guanyi, who twirled his sabers like butterflies, his body leaping into the air, and at the end of his spin, he let go of the heavy saber, sending it whirling towards his opponent.
The blade of the heavy saber ripped through the air, its sound sharp and fierce.
But inside the secret realm, the adversary formed from star power merely shifted slightly.
His long spear flicked Li Guanyi's saber away, and the youth kicked the shaft of the spear, curling himself into a ball and snatching the weapon from his opponent. With a shoulder thrust, he broke free, and the opponent was sent tumbling onto a stone platform, then rolled and grabbed another long spear.
He focused intently, poised like a tiger ready to kill.
Li Guanyi thrust his spear forward with force.
The two long spears collided.
Off to the side, General Xue watched leisurely.
After countless times of being defeated in battle or death, Li Guanyi had finally learned how to wield a long weapon. Right now, he was holding the tail of the long spear with his right hand, tightly against his waist, rotating his wrist and twisting his body to launch the spear with a spiraling force.
The spear was taut, with thrusting as its primary technique, a combat skill of the battlefield.
A spear of one zhang and four chi.
Li Guanyi converted the length to the units of his previous life, which would be four meters and sixty centimeters—a length not for the average person to handle.
But once one can maneuver such a spear, it provides a huge advantage in the era of cold weapons. Unless one reaches a realm where their jin qi could erupt from the body, or encounters an Absolute Skill such as Dharma Form, they would have a significant upper hand. This time, Li Guanyi used his spear technique to sweep away the opponent's weapon and, with one ray of chilling light, he finally defeated his opponent.
The adversary's body shattered into star power, and Li Guanyi had grown accustomed to such combat.
He didn't exhaust unnecessary strength like he did during his first challenge against the Third Prince of Tie Le, and was still able to sit cross-legged, meditating and breathing in the star power.
After General Xue spoke about the combat skills, he offered no further theories, simply watching Li Guanyi, stroking his chin, and said, "You've been here for quite some time now, over twenty days, defeating many opponents. I see your star power tempering is also about right, to my eyes."
General Xue's pupils carried a hint of a smile:
"It seems you're about at the threshold of entering the realm."