Chapter 69: White Emperor as Surname, Part 2
The sword intent was a formless sword.
This sword arose from deep within the hall, thrusting straight toward the temple gate. It carried the profound true essence of Elder Xiaosong Palace, cultivated through centuries of bitter practice. Between heaven and earth, whether tangible or intangible, all would be split in two by this sword. Neither Luoluo nor Chen Changsheng, who had somehow already crossed his short sword before his chest, could possibly stop this blade.
A sound of air tearing arose. A figure arrived before the sword like thunder.
With a crisp crack, that seemingly unstoppable sword intent from Xiaosong Palace was actually blocked just like that!
What shocked the people in the hall even more was that what blocked this sword intent was merely a pair of palms!
Those palms were shrouded in sword light, faintly glowing with gold, as if cast from pure gold!
Dead silence.
Between Elder Xiaosong Palace's sword intent and those palms, a series of crisp cracking sounds rang out.
The next moment, from the night outside Weiyang Palace, a series of crisp cracking sounds also echoed!
The sword and the palms stood still before everyone's eyes, yet the surrounding air seemed about to shatter.
The night outside the hall seemed already broken.
With a booming hum!
The formation outside Weiyang Palace, which had kept the autumn wind from entering, shattered instantly!
Slightly cold night air poured in through countless doors and windows, rustling the robes of teachers and students from various academies seated in the hall. Even the light of the luminous pearls seemed to waver at that moment!
Those closer to the temple gate stumbled backward repeatedly, their faces pale, unable to breathe, and naturally unable to cry out.
Such a powerful collision of true essence, such terrifying consequences of impact.
The hall remained dead silent, with only the howling of the night wind.
The sword intent gradually dissipated.
The pair of palms slowly withdrew.
The owner of those palms was a middle-aged man with ordinary features and an unremarkable demeanor. He was somewhat plump, wearing a silk robe covered in patterns of copper coins, looking like the most common country landlord. He had none of the bearing of a master, standing in the palace appearing especially incongruous.
This ordinary middle-aged man, relying only on his bare palms, had effortlessly blocked the sword of Elder Xiaosong Palace of Mount Li, which had been filled with fury!
The middle-aged man withdrew his palms, looked at Elder Xiaosong Palace deep in the hall, revealed a meaningful smile on his face, then retreated behind Luoluo.
When he stood before Luoluo, he was an ordinary wealthy old man; when he stood behind Luoluo, he was still an ordinary wealthy old man. He neither revealed any trace of masterly bearing nor deliberately concealed his aura to play the role of a steward.
Because now, he was just an ordinary wealthy old man. He only liked money, especially gold.
But the people in the hall certainly wouldn't think so. Their gazes at this middle-aged man were filled with shock and confusion.
A man who could contend with Elder Xiaosong Palace of Mount Li should at least be on the level of someone like Mao Qiuyu, the dean of the Heavenly Dao Academy. How could he be an ordinary wealthy old man?
The people of the southern delegation were even more stunned into silence, especially the young disciples of Mount Li. They simply couldn't understand—even if the grand-uncle master had struck somewhat casually in his earlier fury, and hadn't used his full strength because he was in the Great Zhou imperial palace, how could this middle-aged man, relying only on his bare palms, not be at a disadvantage?
Elder Xiaosong Palace stood behind his seat, looking at the middle-aged man at the temple gate. His emotions were very complex, as if he recalled something, yet he dared not be certain.
A very faint cracking sound arose.
This sound was so light that only Guan Feibai and the other Mount Li disciples closest could hear it.
Only they could clearly see that on the scabbard of Elder Xiaosong Palace's sword at his waist... a crack had appeared!
As disciples of Mount Li, how could they not understand what this meant?
It wasn't contending on equal terms, nor not being at a disadvantage. That seemingly ordinary middle-aged man had actually defeated Elder Xiaosong Palace in this contest!
...
...
The hall was silent. Everyone's gaze was fixed on the ordinary middle-aged man behind Luoluo.
Xu Shiji's face was ashen. A storm raged within his heart. He knew that the female student from the National Academy named Luoluo had a mysterious origin and an extraordinary background, but he never imagined she could subdue a subordinate of such terrifying strength. Who was this middle-aged man? And who was this little girl named Luoluo?
Elder Xiaosong Palace's robe on his gaunt body fluttered gently—moved by the night wind from outside, and also because his hands within his sleeves were trembling slightly.
That earlier clash had separated in an instant, seemingly without a victor, but he knew he had lost. Moreover, he had suffered not insignificant injuries—his meridians were shaken, his true essence leaking outward... But what truly shocked him wasn't the strength of that middle-aged man, but something he vaguely recalled, someone.
Something from the past, someone from the past.
Elder Xiaosong Palace squinted slightly at the middle-aged man, hesitant and uncertain, and asked, "You are..."
The middle-aged man stood behind Luoluo and coughed lightly twice. It was clear that the earlier exchange had also injured him.
This cough was very light, but to Elder Xiaosong Palace's ears, it was like thunder.
The middle-aged man said, "Yes, it's me."
Elder Xiaosong Palace's expression changed dramatically. His aged face was as pale as snow. Infinite fury surged in his eyes, but it couldn't conceal the deepest tremor within.
"Jin Yulü!"
"How are you here!"
...
...
Elder Xiaosong Palace's shout, filled with anger and venom, echoed through Weiyang Palace.
Other than that, there was no sound.
Everyone was stunned. Their gazes at the middle-aged man no longer held confusion, only shock, or rather awe.
Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, and the other inner disciples of Mount Li had all heard of their grand-uncle master's greatest regret in life. Now, their looks at the middle-aged man were extremely complex.
Even the proud and aloof Tang Thirty-Six, upon hearing the name Jin Yulü, was startled. He stared at the middle-aged man, his eyes wide, as if trying to confirm whether he was seeing a real person.
Chen Changsheng knew this middle-aged man. He only knew that this middle-aged man was like a steward beside Luoluo, that the daily meals delivered from Hundred Herbs Garden were meticulously arranged by this man. He had dealt with this man a few times and hadn't noticed anything special—he just thought... this middle-aged man was very talkative, very much like an old woman.
The middle-aged man was Jin Zhangshi from Hundred Herbs Garden.
How could Chen Changsheng have imagined that this steward Jin, who seemed like an old woman, was such a powerful man?
But he had never heard the name Jin Yulü, so he couldn't understand the dead silence in the hall and the strange looks from everyone.
Jin Yulü was a legendary figure on this continent.
Back when the human race and the demon race joined forces to fight years of war against the demon clan, he served as the logistics officer three times.
The logistics officer was crucial. Any delay could lead to devastating and tragic consequences.
Whenever he said supplies and weapons would arrive at a certain place by a certain time, they always did, without a single mishap.
Because his word was law.
Anyone who doubted his decisions had already fallen in the snows of the north.
Jin Yulü, the foremost of the four great demon generals.
His Majesty, Emperor Taizong of Great Zhou, praised him with his own brush: "Golden Rule and Jade Law!"
...
...
Mao Qiuyu, the dean of the Heavenly Dao Academy, sighed softly and stood up.
Prince Chenliu, with no other choice, stood up.
Mo Yu had a headache and rubbed her brow, but ultimately stood up as well.
Given Jin Yulü's military achievements, seniority, and virtue, he certainly deserved such respect. But for the important figures who knew the secrets of Hundred Herbs Garden, what mattered more was that since Jin Yulü had revealed his identity, then someone else naturally had to reveal theirs. Since everyone in the hall had to stand, they might as well stand first.
Tonight's Green Vine Banquet would surely be recorded in the history books.
A moment later, the rest of the people in the hall finally reacted.
Their gazes shifted from Jin Zhangshi to the little girl before him—slowly, because it was heavy.
The faces of the southern delegation turned slightly pale. Guan Feibai seemed unwilling, his breathing growing coarser.
Gou Hanshi's expression was solemn. He thought, so she had been in the capital all along.
In the seats of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Zhuang Huanyu slowly stood up. His eyes were filled with pain, his figure swaying slightly, looking utterly dejected.
From the first night of the Green Vine Banquet, countless people had been guessing the identity of that little girl from the National Academy.
People only knew her origin must be extraordinary, her background mysterious, but no one could guess it.
To be precise, no one dared to guess in that direction.
Tonight, Jin Yulü stood quietly behind that little girl. Her identity naturally became clear.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Luoluo, his expression complex, lost in thought.
Silence. No one spoke.
Eventually, someone had to break this silence.
Chen Changsheng turned and looked quietly at Luoluo.
Luoluo lowered her head and murmured, "Master, I didn't mean to deceive you."
In the National Academy, she had once said that if Chen Changsheng asked, she would tell him.
Chen Changsheng hadn't asked.
Now, there was no need to ask; he already knew.
But it seemed something was still missing.
Chen Changsheng looked at the little girl's nervous expression, smiled, and asked gently, "Who are you?"
She thought for a moment and said, "I am Luoluo."
Chen Changsheng said seriously, "This isn't a bad thing. This is something to be proud of."
"Yes, Master."
Luoluo raised her head, looked at the varied gazes in the hall, and calmly stepped forward.
The night wind entered the hall, and strands of black hair drifted lightly by her cheeks.
She was a little girl in an academy skirt, with delicate features and still some childishness, just ordinary.
But when she stepped forward, she stood before the entire world, before everyone.
Her academy skirt seemed to transform into a royal robe. A noble aura emanated from her.
Everyone felt a flash of light before their eyes.
The entire hall seemed to truly brighten.
This was true nobility.
People instinctively averted their gazes from her. Some even stumbled back several steps in panic. No one dared to meet her eyes.
It wasn't fear, but rather that she was too bright.
She was like a newborn sun.
Calm and warmly red, but requiring sufficient reverence and distance.
She looked at the people in the hall and said calmly and proudly, "My surname is Bai. The Bai of White Emperor."
Ten thousand miles to the west lay the demon domain. Deep within it was a great city, at the origin of the River of Forgetfulness. Majestic and imposing, the eight-hundred-mile Red River flowed around it.
The city was called White Emperor City, because the White Emperor resided within it.
She was the only daughter of the current White Emperor.
Both banks of the eight-hundred-mile Red River were her fiefdom.
She was Luoluo.
She was Her Highness Luoluo.