Chapter 32: Amidst Ten Thousand Troops

Chapter 32: Amidst Ten Thousand Troops

Deep night, light wind, molten moonlight.

The gentle-mannered man in blue robes smiled and said his surname was Chen.

It was as if the entire outline of the National Teacher's Mansion had softened along with him.

The young woman with her hair in a bun said he was her master.

Rong Yu said nothing and went straight through the main gate, as if she were leaving them to cool their heels at the entrance.

The old man, who prided himself on having long since forged a pair of fiery golden eyes, became even more convinced that this refined man surnamed Chen was the gatekeeper of the National Teacher's Mansion.

This man must have been a well-established expert in the martial world for a long time, to be qualified to guard the gate of the National Teacher's Mansion. That made sense.

After that, the gatekeeper surnamed Chen led them through the main gate, past an extremely beautiful glazed screen wall, then through another gate, and past another shadow wall, before finally entering the first courtyard of the National Teacher's Mansion. There was a parasol tree, and moonlight spilled through the branches and leaves into the courtyard, like pieces of silver scattered on the ground. They did not continue to the second courtyard, but turned into a door on the left hand side, entering a secluded and unique quiet garden with a small bridge and flowing water, dotted with elegant pavilions and towers. In the lotus pond, where the leaves stood tall, there was occasionally the sound of fish swishing their tails and striking the water.

Along the way, they engaged in casual, rambling chat. For example, he asked why those youths said that studying was useless, asking them to explain in detail. He himself felt that studying was useful. The less one was a seed for studying, and the less one was born into wealth and nobility, the more one would see studying as a way out. He only mentioned that nearly half the officials at the National Teacher's Mansion were poor students from local prefectures and counties, and only half were child prodigies. As for the other half, when they first started studying, they all thought that passing the imperial examinations to become a scholar or a provincial graduate would bring glory to their families.

They chatted for a good while. The seasoned and steady fish-head Hong Tao kept observing expressions and situations. The old man left the opportunities to speak to the youths.

Sure enough, the National Teacher's Mansion was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Even a gatekeeper could be so talkative and quick-witted; he would be more than qualified to serve as a county magistrate.

The old man finally couldn't help but ask, "Lord Chen, may I ask when the National Teacher will summon us?"

The three youths also came to their senses. Yes, where was the National Teacher?

Chen Ping'an looked at the short youth and asked with a smile, "Ma Buhai, I heard you want to learn boxing, and that in the future you plan to open a martial arts school or an escort agency. Have you found a teacher yet? If you haven't found a suitable candidate for now, I can recommend a practitioner for you to apprentice under. After you finish your training, we can discuss your future."

Hong Tao understood. Indeed, the gatekeeper of a prime minister was a third-rank official. If this person was willing to recommend him, it shouldn't be a problem for Buhai to apprentice under anyone.

Ma Buhai asked tentatively, "I want to apprentice under the grandmaster Zheng Qian. Can that be arranged?"

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh, then put on a stern face and said, "She is one of the four grandmasters in the martial arts rankings. Are you sure that just because I put in a good word, it will work out?"

Pei Qian.

Ma Buhai felt a bit dejected, so he had to settle for the next best thing. "Then how about you pass a message to the Four Seas Martial Arts School for me? Ding Hao and I will apprentice under the school master Wei Li. There's a rumor in the martial world that in the auxiliary capital Luojing, he once sparred with Grandmaster Zheng and has some connection from that. Maybe later I can also benefit from it and meet Grandmaster Zheng ahead of time."

Hong Tao, as if divinely inspired, asked cautiously, "They say that 'choosing a day is not as good as hitting the day itself.' Why go far when you can stay close? Why not let Buhai apprentice under you, Lord Chen? What do you think? Even if it's not as a personal disciple, taking him on as an unregistered apprentice would do. Consider it fate meeting in the martial world, and lend him a hand?"

Chen Ping'an waved his hand and said with a chuckle, "Not convenient. I already have a closed-door disciple. Besides, Ma Buhai's qualifications for learning martial arts are a bit lacking—not enough to make me break the rules."

Hong Tao was speechless. That was really blunt. As expected of someone who eats at the National Teacher's Mansion—just one word: proud.

Ma Buhai was not angry at all; instead, he appreciated the man's straightforwardness. In the martial world, people shouldn't beat around the bush like in officialdom.

He cupped his fists and said, "Then Ding Hao, Hu Jin, and I will all go apprentice under School Master Wei."

The three brothers would share hardships and riches for life. As for Head Hong, the three of them would take care of him in his old age.

Chen Ping'an nodded, then turned and smiled at his first disciple, "What do you say? A chance encounter in the martial world, by chance meeting—lend a hand?"

Pei Qian said helplessly, "I'll take them to find Wei Li tomorrow."

Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile and said, "If you really don't want to, let Guo Zhujiu do it."

Pei Qian shook her head. "Master, I'd better go myself. I also want to have a good talk with Wei Li."

That guy had a thick skin. Back during the battles in the auxiliary capital, he had asked her for a boxing match, fallen in a few punches, and gained a lot of fame in the martial world. That was bad enough, but he also swindled her out of medical fees—let's not even talk about that. And then Wei Li went to the capital to open a martial arts school, enshrined that money pouch, and every morning before his stance practice, he would burn incense?! What was that all about?!

The tall youth Hu Jin was still thinking about and worrying over the woman whose whereabouts were unknown. Her identity was fake, so her name must be fake too.

Ma Buhai was a bit puzzled. This young woman named Pei Qian actually dared to call School Master Wei by his name directly?

Ding Hao suddenly said, "Lord Chen, I want to study at Spring Mountain Academy. Is that possible?"

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "To become a 'real official'?"

Ding Hao said honestly, "I really want to."

Chen Ping'an asked, "After becoming an official, then what?"

Ding Hao said, "Become a high official."

Chen Ping'an smiled slightly. "Being an official always has a purpose. For example, to make money, to gain power, to bring glory to your ancestors, to have a prominent entry in the clan genealogy, or to have your name recorded in the local county records."

Ding Hao said, "None of those. I just want to know how the smartest people in the Great Li Dynasty talk and act."

Hearing such an answer, Chen Ping'an was clearly somewhat surprised. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Then work hard. Since you have an ideal, you have to try at least."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Hu Jin, what about you? Any ideas? Going to the martial arts school to apprentice with Ma Buhai, or going to the academy to study with Ding Hao?"

Hu Jin gathered his courage and said, "Lord Chen, can I ask a question?"

Ding Hao was extremely nervous inside. He hesitated for a moment but did not stop his friend from his rash question, and didn't care whether they would end up with nothing to show for it tonight.

Hong Tao, however, was flustered. He grabbed the tall youth's arm in a hurry, adding pressure with his fingers secretly. The old man then said to the man in the blue long gown, "Lord Chen, Hu Jin will go to the martial arts school tomorrow. He will go to the martial arts school."

Hu Jin's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he swallowed the words that were already on the tip of his tongue. The youth's eyes were dim, and he forced a smile, "Lord Chen, I'll follow Ding Hao to the martial arts school tomorrow to apprentice and learn the art."

Having said that, the tall youth cupped his fists and said, "I thank you here!"

He hoped that in the future, when he was in the martial world, he could still meet her again by chance. That could happen, right?

Chen Ping'an said, "Alright, then it's settled."

He led them back to the first courtyard. Rong Yu walked over from the covered corridor and said softly, "Mr. Chen, there's no need to see them further. I'll see the guests out."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Good."

Pei Qian and Rong Yu saw them out of the National Teacher's Mansion, then returned.

Pei Qian said with a smile, "Master, it seems Ding Hao has already guessed that you are the National Teacher."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "He's a very clever youth, and has a good character."

Rong Yu silently took note.

Pei Qian explained, "Master, I didn't read their heart-images."

Seeing her master smiling without speaking, Pei Qian said anxiously, "Really!"

Rong Yu was a bit surprised. The National Teacher was so strict with Pei Qian? Was the master's authority so heavy in Pei Qian's heart?

Chen Ping'an finally spoke with a smile, "When you were little, I disciplined you a lot because I was afraid you would make mistakes. When you're young and make mistakes, besides admitting them, the actual errors still have to be corrected by the master, right?"

Pei Qian was embarrassed.

Chen Ping'an continued, "Over these many years, Little Black Charcoal has been learning diligently, and learning well. The principles have gone from the ears to the heart. So now it should be Pei Qian's turn to manage the idle matters and wrongs of the world."

At this moment, Pei Qian finally regained the spirit to travel the martial world.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Little donkey, golden leaves—everything is ready. This martial world is waiting for Pei Qian to descend the mountain."

As expected, not long after leaving the National Teacher's Mansion, Ding Hao told the old man and his two friends about his guess.

Pei Qian's master, named Chen Ping'an, was the Great Li National Teacher. The key was Rong Yu's final line at the National Teacher's Mansion: "She will see the guests out." And her referring to him as "Mr. Chen" was just a smokescreen.

And Pei Qian was the martial arts grandmaster "Zheng Qian," renowned across one continent.

Chen Ping'an said, "Before you venture out into the martial world, remember to consult and spar more with Senior Chen Yi."

Pei Qian nodded.

Rong Yu asked with a smile, "If Ding Hao had concealed his thoughts, how would the National Teacher have regarded that youth?"

Chen Ping'an said, "He would have stopped at 'clever.' What I do is prevent the Great Li Dynasty from being destroyed by clever people, and to prevent excessive cleverness and cunning from casually toying with, humiliating, and killing off sincerity and kindness. The natures of these several youths are all very good. Rong Yu, keep an eye on things at the National Teacher's Mansion."

Rong Yu understood very well. Tomorrow, the National Teacher would receive two groups of the most powerful clever people in the Great Li Dynasty separately. They... were in for a treat.

Song Yunjian was still standing under the peach tree, counting the peach blossoms, tirelessly taking pleasure in it.

Lin Shouyi and Cao Qinglang, taking advantage of the bright moonlight, were playing a game of Go in the second courtyard.

The cook Yu Qing hesitated for a moment, then walked to the door and asked if they wanted a late-night snack.

In the neighboring courtyard, the Ancient Witch's room was still faintly lit with a yellowish glow. He was reading under the lamp, and it seemed he would stay up all night.

Zhu Su finished her Qi circulation and came out of the room. She leaned against a corridor pillar, looking at the map of the barbarian situation laid out in the courtyard's skywell.

Rong Yu asked, "National Teacher, how should I reply to His Majesty's side?"

It turned out that the National Teacher's Mansion had specially opened a Hundred Treasures Pavilion, a three-story building disguised by illusion magic.

Earlier, Chen Ping'an had asked Rong Yu to compile a list for the emperor, with the intention of storing these treasures.

But then the three academy patriarchs pulled that stunt, so Chen Ping'an no longer wanted to "use public resources for private gain."

However, the emperor's statement was also interesting. He had already arranged for this matter to be handled, so there was no reason to let them all work for nothing.

Rong Yu said, "His Majesty's meaning is simple: for cultivators, the more heavenly materials and earthly treasures, the better. The thicker the family foundation, the better. As long as it helps the National Teacher increase his Dao power, those few secret vaults in Great Li used to store various magic treasures and spiritual instruments—they are not the Ministry of Revenue's treasury. Even if they were emptied, it would be fine."

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then said, "Then let's move them all over here."

"Pei Qian, call Cao Qinglang. You two go with Rong Yu to the secret vaults to select treasures right now."

"Also bring Yu Shiwu, Xu Jiaoqie, and the others. And Yu Qing. They are each allowed to pick one treasure from beyond the list."

A hubbub arose—they were off to get rich. Yu Qing wanted to refuse, but with Rong Yu's intelligence and eloquence, a few words easily convinced this cook, who had given up returning to the Cherry Blossom Blue Robe lineage.

Only Lin Shouyi was not quite suitable to take treasures.

So Chen Ping'an took Cao Qinglang's place at the Go board and played with Lin Shouyi.

The game had been evenly matched, but once Chen Ping'an started placing stones like flying, Lin Shouyi's moves became slower and slower. The situation increasingly favored Chen Ping'an. When Lin Shouyi once again picked up a black stone from the bamboo Go container and fell into deep thought, Chen Ping'an chuckled, "Lin Yupu, have you finally realized who the real rotten Go player is?"

There was only the rule of observing without speaking, but no rule that the players couldn't talk. When it came to one's own turn, attacking the mind was paramount.

Lin Shouyi hesitantly placed his stone on the board and asked doubtfully, "Your Go skill has improved so much? How did you do it?"

Chen Ping'an picked up a white stone and said gravely, "It seems like there's a demon hidden in my wrist, as if divinely aided. But in truth, I've always had good talent, plus long accumulated skill. Before, I deliberately hid my abilities so that you rotten players wouldn't lose interest in playing."

When Chen Ping'an placed his stone, Lin Shouyi conceded the game and silently stared at the board. Chen Ping'an's Go skill was indeed far superior to his own and Cao Qinglang's.

Lin Shouyi asked curiously, "Can you beat Cui Dongshan now?"

Chen Ping'an immediately broke character, "Not yet. I still have to play handicap games."

Lin Shouyi keenly noticed that Chen Ping'an seemed to have changed recently. The dividing line was that "World Connection."

Chen Ping'an used sound condensation to speak in secret, "The earlier Chen Ping'an was still Chen Ping'an, of course. The man himself was himself, and I am still I. But the divine nature and human nature reversed their primary and secondary roles. So the earlier Chen Ping'an, with divine nature in charge, had all his emotions arranged properly, aiming for remarkable achievements. All my thoughts, words, and actions were pursuing and imitating Senior Brother Cui's state. The divine nature cut away, dismantled, and forgot the human nature that was imprisoned, but that human self had to obediently endure everything—like... a caged bird."

Chen Ping'an gently covered the Go container with his hand. "When the World Connection ended and the primary and secondary reversed again, with human nature taking charge, those suppressed emotions did not disappear. It was like the human heart and the world facing a simultaneous situation of a dike bursting and a tidal surge."

How dangerous was such a state of mind? Lin Shouyi felt a chill run down his spine and asked, "And your Dao heart didn't collapse?"

Chen Ping'an laughed. "It happened that I went to Yousi Peak to drink the wedding wine of Liu Xianyang and She Yue. And that day was the Fifth of May, which essentially untied one of the biggest knots in my life. Naturally, I was especially happy. When people are happy in heart, they don't fixate on trivialities."

"Then I had a boxing match with the Ancient Witch, which was also thoroughly satisfying."

"Especially when I later went to sea to have a boxing match with Cao Ci—it was even more exhilarating. Being between sea and sky, far from land, my state of mind became open as a result."

"And of course, tonight's casual chat was also a necessary 'distraction.' Cultivating the body and nature is like governing floods: dredging is better than blocking. That's why the old temple master said I had finally learned a bit about the art of 'nourishing the spirit.'"

Only after hearing this did Lin Shouyi stop suspecting that Chen Ping'an was seemingly calm but actually mad.

He laughed. "Those several youths seem quite similar to Liu, Chen, and Gu back in our hometown."

Chen Ping'an said softly, "If they can look upon tomorrow with hope and high regard, then we can also look back upon yesterday with equanimity."

Lin Shouyi nodded deeply in agreement. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Another game?"

Chen Ping'an had already started gathering the stones, clicking his tongue. "Learning from my boxing match with Cao Ci—is losing repeatedly that satisfying?"

Lin Shouyi suddenly asked, "One of the knots in your heart is untied. Are there a second and a third?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Of course."

Lin Shouyi asked, "For example? And when will you act on them?"

Chen Ping'an teased, "Lin Yupu, don't be distracted. Focus on the civil examinations. Study hard for your jinshi degree. Get on the golden list, and you'll get fewer strange remarks from Uncle Lin."

Lin Shouyi's face darkened. He picked up the two Go containers and went back into the house.

Chen Ping'an strolled alone to the neighboring second courtyard, looking at the map of the mountains and rivers showing the two armies of Haoran and the Barren Wasteland facing off.

For example, returning to the battlefield and making a great slash against the Barren Wasteland.

Or, another example, the later Sword Inquiry against the White Jade Capital.

Zhu Su leaned against the railing, also looking at the map here. As a private swordsman who had long lingered in the depths of the Barren Wasteland, she had also contributed by filling in some mountains and rivers. She was about to speak when she discovered that the Hidden Officer had already produced the Three Mountain Talisman. It was neither his own imitation nor even a talisman drawn by Bai Jing, but the genuine Three Mountain Talisman. He was heading somewhere unknown.

But soon Zhu Su knew the Hidden Officer's whereabouts.

On this central axis, the three courtyards: the first courtyard held a map of Haoran's situation, the second courtyard held a map of the Barren Wasteland, and the third courtyard held a map of the mountains and rivers of Bottle Gourd Continent.

The first mountain where the Hidden Officer appeared was Piyun Mountain on Bottle Gourd Continent, which was relatively close.

Because on the "map" laid out in the skywell of the last courtyard, Piyun Mountain was not particularly conspicuous. But at that moment, an unusual "ripple of Qi" appeared. Being able to directly cause an anomaly on a continent's map made it imaginable how great the commotion was over at Piyun Mountain.

The second mountain was a direct cross-continental jump to Sui Mountain in the Central Earth Divine Continent. Sui Mountain also enjoyed the reputation and honor of being the "First Sacred Mountain of Haoran."

Because in the first courtyard, there was a sound like "subtle" drumming.

Zhu Su moved and turned over there, her gaze quickly sweeping across the map. Where was the third mountain? That would be the destination of tonight's impromptu long journey by the Hidden Officer.

After a moment, Zhu Su turned her head in surprise, looking toward the original courtyard. The destination was the Barren Wasteland!

——

In the Azure World, under a bright moon, at the entrance of a Daoist temple, the "door god" holding an iron mace, Gu He, was watching Biqiao Cave Lord hanging a plaque there.

The thin bamboo pole-like Wang Yuanlu had already followed the elegant prime minister Yao Qing into the mortal world. Gu He felt that the already quiet Dao field had become even more desolate.

The old temple master stepped back a few paces, clasped his hands behind his back, looked up at the plaque, and asked, "How is it?"

Xun Lanling, who had been a fire boy at the temple for many years, tactfully echoed, "Good calligraphy, very powerful. It can harmonize with heaven and earth."

Gu He asked doubtfully, "Temple Master, which eminent person's handwriting is this?"

Biqiao Cave Lord was extremely proud, with his qualifications and Dao power clearly evident. Since he was willing to go out and ask someone to write the plaque, the other party must be someone of roughly equal status and compatible temperament—a strong fourteen?

The old temple master said, "It's that young swordsman Chen Ping'an, whom you think is cut from the same cloth as me."

Gu He was stunned. He had always planned to avoid that Mr. Chen on his future travels, to steer clear of his edge. And now he had to stare at this plaque every day?

Xun Lanling wished he could pick up the words he had just spoken and chew them back into his stomach.

The old temple master said, "Xun Lanling, secretly go down to the mortal world. Use your life-bound secret art to protect Wang Yuanlu and keep him from meeting with unexpected calamities."

Xun Lanling was clearly reluctant.

The old temple master said, "If Wang Yuanlu dies out there, then you don't need to come back to the temple to continue burning fire and refining pills. Just roam freely, establish a sect in some state, and become its founding patriarch. Remember not to add unnecessary touches, such as hanging a portrait of me in the patriarch hall or a secret chamber, or erecting a spirit tablet with my Daoist name. You must not reveal any connection to this temple. Otherwise, I'll make an extra trip and personally clean house."

Xun Lanling's Dao heart immediately trembled. His expression was desolate as he knelt to the ground and sobbed, "Disciple, have I done something that displeases your heart, to incur such strict punishment?"

The old temple master said indifferently, "If one does not understand the human way, one cannot see the immortal way. If one is not familiar with the human heart, one cannot reach heaven. You have burned fire in the temple for many years, yet you still lack much seasoning. Staying by my side, just pretending to flip through Daoist books and secret manuals every day, will bring you no progress at all. Hurry down the mountain and stop your noise."

Xun Lanling rose in sorrow, not daring to pester his master further on this matter. He returned to his room, packed his bundle and valuables, and hastily descended to the mortal world to toil.

The old temple master instructed further, "Besides protecting Wang Yuanlu's path, when you travel in the mortal world normally, you may only experience the mundane realm as a cultivator of the lower five realms. At most, you may use one lifebound object of magic treasure rank. If you dare to violate these rules, Gu He will find you, and you will know that you have been expelled from the temple."

As he spoke, the old temple master flicked his whisk, tossing a bundle from inside the temple to the fire boy's feet.

Xun Lanling promptly prostrated himself again, kowtowed nine times, and bid farewell to his master.

After the Taoist boy stood up, he slung the bundle over his shoulder, reluctant to leave. He took three steps and looked back twice. Seeing that his master had already stepped over the threshold and entered the temple, the boy was filled with grief. He had to compose his emotions and said silently to the tall back: Master, take care of yourself. Disciple is going on a long journey now. The boy turned his head, raised his arm to wipe his face, and flew away from the bright moon, heading toward Suichu Palace.

Gu He sighed deeply. Biqiao Cave Lord was too heartless... But then he heard Biqiao Cave Lord shout angrily from the alchemy room door, "What are you standing there for?"

Gu He was bewildered. Whether I serve as a mountain guardian for the Dao field or as a door god for the temple, shouldn't I just stand here? Or am I supposed to wander around like the day-and-night patrol gods of the city god temple?

The old temple master had to curse at this thick-headed, unyielding blockhead, "Idiot! Aren't you going to roll off and be Xun Lanling's hidden guardian?"

Gu He was overjoyed. He had always felt he owed Fellow Daoist Xun too much. To protect his path in this life and this body was only proper.

Gu He immediately formed a Dao seal, concealed his form, and was about to secretly follow Xun Lanling. But suddenly his heart trembled, and both his Dao body and Dao heart seemed stuck in mud—he couldn't move at all. Then he heard Biqiao Cave Lord let out a displeased "Hmm." Gu He immediately understood. He turned around and respectfully performed a Daoist bow of farewell to his temple master. Sure enough, once he did that, his Dao techniques flowed without obstruction.

Then Biqiao Cave Lord instructed him verbally, "Once you reach the land, do not bully others by borrowing my authority. If you do, even if heaven doesn't punish you, I will! But also remember this principle: if you encounter someone with no eyes on the road, help them open their eyes. Don't be vague, and don't shrink back when you strike!"

Gu He beamed with joy, happily accepted this Dao decree, concealed his tracks, and went to catch up with the Taoist boy who was "an old friend of former years, now a fellow sect member."

No matter how ancient his Dao age, the fire boy Xun Lanling still had a youthful nature. Halfway, he stopped in a sea of clouds and wept loudly.

Gu He hid at the edge of the sea of clouds, feeling deeply sympathetic. In the end, he held back and did not reveal himself.

Earlier, while the attention of the two worlds was focused on the battle between Biqiao Cave Lord and the three academy patriarchs, an old Daoist had appeared in the territory of Suichu Palace. From afar, he directed a telepathic voice to the Stork Tower towering by the river: "I am Zhang Jiao, Daoist name Huang Tian. I seek an audience with Palace Master Wu to discuss a matter."

This Daoist was an old fourteen. Having fallen out of favor in the Azure World, he had gone to the Western Buddhist Kingdom.

Now, seeing his home world in chaos—the Azure World's fourteen states, with only three still remaining neutral, not yet involved in the standoff between White Jade Capital and Suichu Palace—the old Daoist knew this was an opportunity for him to rise, yet his mood was still gloomy.

Zhang Jiao looked up at the celestial anomalies overhead, stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes, pondering: "I wonder which side Leap Month Peak will favor?"

In fact, any cultivator of the upper five realms who cared about the world could see this scene.

It was a clash between two pseudo-fifteen realm cultivators—a hard confrontation with no tricks whatsoever.

Zhang Jiao turned his gaze toward the White Jade Capital. At last, it had revealed its "true face": it was a Yujing Mountain whose foundation was made of earth personally gathered by the Dao Ancestor!

Thus, for ten thousand years, the five cities and twelve towers of the White Jade Capital had seemed to hang in the void, at different positions and different heights.

Now, of the five cities and twelve towers, aside from the Great Master's Green Emerald City and the Third Master's Nanhua City—which, due to personal reasons of the two masters, were both temporarily absent from their Dao fields and thus had not yet "merged" with Yujing Mountain—the other three cities and twelve towers were all now situated within the mountain.

From the peak of Yujing Mountain, where Patriarch Yu Dou stood, to Yao Qing's Dharma image, a magnificent "rainbow bridge" stretched across half the world.

Yu Dou, draped in a feather robe and holding a long sword, sent a sword light straight toward Yao Qing's Dharma image above Suichu Palace.

In response, Yao Qing's Dharma image held a long spear, its tip pointing directly at White Jade Capital, stirring up a crimson torrent of military Dao true intent, which met Yu Dou's sword light head-on.

Where the sword light and the spear's military Qi collided, that long rainbow was formed.

Every moment, both sides were grinding away at each other's Dao cultivation. Looking at the lengths of the two halves of the rainbow, Yu Dou's side clearly had the advantage.

But among the many states of the Azure World, wherever smoke of war rose, wisps of green smoke would actively merge into the manifestation born of Yao Qing's military methods. Among the curling green smoke, there were occasional specks of gold and silver, likely representing the falls of local mountain and water deities and Daoist officials.

The sword light hung in the sky, possessing a momentum that shook heaven and earth and suppressed the entire world.

The spear pointed with the ambition to overturn heaven and earth and smash the White Jade Capital to pieces.

Zhang Jiao had just arrived in the Azure World. He performed a brief divination but soon hit a wall, so he stopped his calculations. After all, if he provoked fluctuations in Yao Qing's Dao heart, or Yao Qing's resentment or disgust, Zhang Jiao could easily suffer some inexplicable calamities, or even an immediate backlash from Dao techniques, since Yao Qing was a pseudo-fifteen and already had a prototype where the Dao heart was the heart of heaven.

Moreover, if his probing caused Yao Qing to become distracted, wouldn't he be helping the group of Dao officials at White Jade Capital who had their eyes on their foreheads?

Zhang Jiao was puzzled. Why would Yao Qing do this? A three-dynasty prime minister of the Qingshen Dynasty, a fourteen-realm cultivator by his own ability—why walk a path that left him no retreat?

The old Daoist collected his thoughts. Even though he had come as an ally, he dared not let his guard down and felt as if facing a great enemy.

Because Wu Shuangjiang came in person. Even Daoist Zhang Jiao dared not say that this Palace Master Wu would definitely agree to him.

On the path of cultivation, the younger generation was formidable.

After all, Wu Shuangjiang had previously announced to the world that "joint beheading." One must know that his two allies were Zheng Juzhong, who seemed about to establish a sect and claim patriarchship in the Barren Wasteland, and Chen Ping'an, who had single-handedly created the World Connection.

——

Deep in the Barren Wasteland.

A high mountain that had recently been renamed "Haoran." The several existing temple structures of the clan-level Dao field had all become meeting grounds for generals of several Haoran nations.

This army had advanced too quickly on the battlefield, appearing somewhat greedy for merit, isolated and deep in enemy territory.

Although the original intention was to lure the enemy and then attack reinforcements, for one thing, they had been too unstoppable; for another, the great monsters of the Barren Wasteland had combined to use a great divine ability similar to opening a channel to the Styx. The Barren Wasteland's ruler, Fei Ran, had mobilized several new Throne representatives. The two armies faced off, and the Barren Wasteland's numbers had skyrocketed, changing the battlefield situation unexpectedly.

The tactic on the Barren Wasteland's side was extremely crude: to achieve everything in one battle, to devour this entire army in one bite. After that, even if Haoran surrounded them in turn, the Barren Wasteland demons that could not withdraw from the battlefield would simply all die in battle. So the Barren Wasteland did not care about battle losses or consequences; it only needed a "great victory" that could boost morale.

On Haoran's side, the main force was the thirty thousand elite cavalry of the Chenguan Dynasty. The remaining seventy thousand were steadily converging from the rear. According to the agreed deadline, the main force from behind would arrive in three days. Even if the great cultivators accompanying the army used divine abilities to speed up all types of ferry boats, they could only shorten the time to two days; otherwise, it would truly become "adding fuel" bit by bit.

At the mountain top, a young man in plain clothes stared expressionlessly at the battlefield beyond. The Barren Wasteland demons had already sounded the horn for a full-scale assault.

Even though they were hundreds of miles apart, a dense mass of demons was like a swarm of ants, like a locust plague. On both ends of the battlefield, countless spells had already lit up, hurling at each other. At the same time, each side had great formations protecting their army formations. Compared to Haoran's neat order, the demon side appeared extremely brutal. For example, the thousands of catapults were throwing "boulders," including entire illicit temples that had been uprooted and relocated here, "snowballs" formed from hundreds of skeletons twisted together, and "pools of water" refined and condensed from the Yeluo River's water transport—when they landed, they exploded like hundreds of arrows scattering.

Beside the young man observing from the summit, besides the commanders-in-chief of several nations and his personal guards, there were also two armored generals. Apart from being martial arts grandmasters and great cultivators, they were also main generals leading troops in the military, with brilliant records and a knack for fighting "foolish battles."

The young man said, "After you mutually deplete each other's formations with spells, you will need to lead the cavalry to pierce through the formation at least twice."

One general said with burning eyes, "Twice wouldn't show the might of our Chenguan Iron Cavalry. At least three times."

After the third charge through the formation, he didn't care whether he could return.

The young man nodded. "Go."

The two generals directly vaulted over the railing and quickly flew down to the formation at the foot of the mountain. They did not say any heroic words or farewells to the young man.

This young man was the master of the number one dynasty of Haoran, the Chenguan Dynasty—Emperor Huang Mang.

At the summit, an old man who was a state preceptor from another dynasty advised, "Your Majesty, if you do not leave this 'death ground' now, when the time and geography change next, it will become very difficult to leave."

A young Confucian scholar sent here by the Central Earth Confucian Temple said, "Huang Mang, you need to leave quickly, or the Barren Wasteland really will achieve a great victory. Don't act on impulse and play the hero, causing trouble for those who have generously died in battle. On this battlefield, there are not only your Chenguan Iron Cavalry."

Huang Mang asked with a smile, "And you?"

In peaceful times, the junzi of Confucian academies and the seventy-two colleges were all revered and envied transcendent beings.

But in times of chaos, the proportion of junzi dying in battle was alarmingly high, almost on par with the number of Confucian scholars with the title of sage. One must know that the numbers of junzi and sages in the Haoran World were vastly different.

The young junzi said, "The strategy of luring the enemy deep was my proposal. Of course I will stay here."

Huang Mang nodded. "Then I will evacuate now and rush to the rear army. I hope I can still see you."

The young junzi smiled, cupped his fists, and said, "I thank you here! And I sincerely apologize to you. Both the court and the public of Chenguan will surely curse me..."

Huang Mang cupped his fists in return. "Don't worry. The Chenguan Dynasty never curses true heroes. We only erect temples to offer sacrifices and burn incense."

Just then.

A man in a blue long gown, with a jade hairpin in his hair and cloth shoes on his feet, appeared abruptly. He stood on the railing, facing the wind, both sleeves billowing and flapping loudly.

He stood there like a great standard of this Haoran border army.

Emperor Huang Mang, the young junzi, and the others saw him slowly roll up his sleeves and say calmly, "No one needs to evacuate. I will make the first charge through the formation for you."

Chen Ping'an looked ahead, reached out his hand, summoned a spear from one of the generals at the summit, and said with a smile, "I'll borrow this spear for a moment."

On the battlefield, aside from the mutual bombardment of spells, the Haoran army at the foot of the mountain remained silent, but from the Barren Wasteland demon army, there was first a visible halt, then a huge commotion, and finally a roaring sound like a tidal wave. It seemed they were all spreading a message, mixed with all kinds of curses... The Hidden Officer? The Hidden Officer!

The Sword Qi Great Wall was a difficult pass for the Barren Wasteland, and so was Bottle Gourd Continent. And this last Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall happened to come from Bottle Gourd Continent.

A million enemies called out your name. This should have been a legendary feat only found in romance novels.

But on this brutal battlefield, where heads rolled at any moment, it actually happened.

Chen Ping'an pointed the spear diagonally, staring at the Barren Wasteland great monster presiding over this battle. Huh, it had been promoted to a new Throne. What a coincidence—they were old acquaintances.

He flicked his wrist, twirling the spear in a flower, shattering the sea of clouds far above and deflecting the entire round of the Barren Wasteland's catapult stones.

He lightly tapped his toe, leaped high into the air, and the Hidden Officer descended the mountain, heading to the center of the battlefield.

But not to the neutral zone between the two armies. He landed directly in the middle of the Barren Wasteland army.

The young Hidden Officer seemed to say silently, "Sorry, but you are now surrounded by me."