Clang!!!
The clash of weapons was sharp and intense.
After the Xue family's divine general issued his challenge, the one who stepped forward was once again the burly, bearded third prince of the Tiele tribe. His curved golden blade was sharp and unpredictable, always striking from angles that defied reason. Li Guanyi held a heavy saber in his hand—thick-backed and thin-edged—using the saber technique taught by Yue Qianfeng to counter the attacks.
After bathing in the jade fluid of the bronze cauldron, this saber technique had already reached perfection.
Yet it wasn't until he faced such a formidable opponent—
—that Li Guanyi realized:
Perfection only meant a high level of mastery over the technique.
But application in combat—that was an entirely different art.
The ornate golden curved blade clashed against Li Guanyi's heavy saber, then danced away like a butterfly spirit. Though the Tiele prince's build was powerful, his footwork was light and fluid. He twisted in midair, landing behind Li Guanyi with a downward slash.
Li Guanyi felt a sharp pain tear through his back. He staggered forward several steps, turning with a sweeping strike, but the prince had already retreated.
He stood just at the edge of Li Guanyi's range, bouncing lightly from side to side. The direction of his blade constantly shifted, making it impossible to predict where the next attack would come from.
Though the pain in Li Guanyi's back was intense, there was no wound.
"This place is, after all, only a re-creation of memories. All the sensations you feel are imposed on your spirit," said the Xue general nearby. "Don't worry. The level of force here only makes you feel the pain of being struck, but it won't harm your body."
"Still, be cautious. In my time, both the martial world and the court had at least five types of secret arts capable of inflicting heavy damage to the spirit. Some could make a person believe they had died—causing their body to wither as if it were true. Many renowned ministers and scholars died suddenly this way."
"Even kings in times of chaos were sometimes killed by such methods."
"I've encountered it myself."
"The sorcerer didn't expect Yaoguang to be by my side."
"She awakened me, so I turned and cut him down."
"Of course, had this been real combat just now—you would already be dead."
The shadow of the Xue general smiled faintly. Sitting cross-legged, he sipped a phantom cup of tea and raised his sheathed sword to draw a stroke on the ground.
Ten tally marks had already been drawn.
This was the first stroke of the eleventh.
Each mark represented one of Li Guanyi's "deaths."
The Xue general looked at the row of marks, raised an eyebrow slightly, and chuckled softly.
He said nothing more.
Perhaps this was the mark of a true general—knowing just how to provoke an enemy's fury.
Li Guanyi felt that a single chuckle said everything. Combined with the general's lazy, detached demeanor, it completely broke the heroic, magnanimous image from earlier—and made him want to grab the five-hundred-year-old fossil by the collar and give him a good beating.
After losing so many times, he naturally wanted to give up.
But this was the power of entry into the border realm—the one hailed as the strongest in history. His unwillingness to accept defeat burned within him. Besides, if someone like the Tiele prince still existed in today's world—
Wouldn't he be truly cut down if they fought?
Gripping his saber, Li Guanyi forced himself forward. His childhood experience with poison had made him extremely resilient to pain. He clenched the weapon again and stepped out sharply. The Central Plains–style heavy saber clashed with the Tiele prince's curved blade once more in that secret, forgotten space.
Though these were just remnants of memories, and though his skills were still limited to pre-border realm levels, each of his opponents had once stood at the pinnacle of their respective regions in that era. Under the constant pummeling of these fierce battles, Li Guanyi's saber technique improved rapidly.
From being instantly defeated at first, he now forced the Tiele prince to use footwork to respond.
It was still the Eight Blades of Po Jun.
It was still the same perfected form.
But Li Guanyi now felt a deeper understanding of the saber.
Yet every time he felt this sense of growth, the Tiele prince would pull off some ridiculous trick and "kill" him again—making him wonder whether that realization had just been wishful thinking. Who knew how much time passed? Gradually, he moved from being crushed to being able to resist.
Eventually, he could go toe-to-toe with the Tiele prince.
The Xue general, watching the growing tally of marks in front of him, still wore that same calm smile.
Only life-and-death trials can truly temper a man.
On the battlefield, surviving one fight made you a veteran. Survive three, and you could lead recruits into combat. This was the spiritual refinement that came from facing death—and it also refined one's saber technique.
Li Guanyi's Eight Blades of Po Jun now carried the essence of a veteran of a hundred battles.
Seasoned, ruthless—
—and laced with an intent to kill his opponent no matter what.
Anyone who had been "killed" that many times would harbor fury.
After who knew how many deaths, Li Guanyi finally realized—that his opponent's blade was too light and elusive. He must not fall into that rhythm. Adopting his footwork, he unleashed heavy, deliberate slashes, pulling the Tiele prince into his pace.
Then, suddenly—a heavy downward strike.
The prince's curved blade was knocked aside, and Li Guanyi surged into his chest.
The saber tip thrust toward the heart.
Just then, a low, wolf-like howl echoed in his ears.
The surrounding space rippled. A steel-furred gray wolf appeared beside the Tiele prince. The moment Li Guanyi's blade pierced the air, it felt like stabbing into molasses—he couldn't drive it forward. The prince roared and tried to grab him. Li Guanyi quickly retreated, snatching up his longbow and firing arrows in rapid succession.
But as they neared the Tiele prince, the arrows all veered off course.
They couldn't break through.
A dharma aspect martial art?!
The Xue general said casually, "Ah, my apologies, junior. I've been dead too long—my memory's not what it used to be. I nearly forgot—the Tiele third prince was naturally born with a dharma aspect. In the Western Regions, they said he was the celestial wolf beside a great god, sent down to unify the vast western lands."
"Until I shot him down, that is. But up until then, that's what people believed."
"You'd better be careful."
Li Guanyi twitched at the corner of his mouth, firing arrows one after another—but all were blocked.
His quiver was nearly empty when, at last, his arrows started getting closer and closer to the prince.
The prince's defense was close to breaking.
Finally, the Tiele prince charged.
Li Guanyi's gaze ignited—he could see the prince's crossed arms crashing forward like a siege ram, the celestial wolf howling. From his shoulder, the white tiger poked out, letting out a roar. The arrows shimmered with faint golden light once again.
A chilling golden wind surged—
Dharma Aspect Secret Art: A Single Arrow of Cold Light.
Unfortunately, his dharma aspect had not fully manifested. The arrow had not yet reached its full potential. He loosed it anyway—furious and fast. The arrow spun and pierced the Tiele prince's dharma aspect—but the moment it broke through, the shattered aura released a massive surge of power. The prince crossed his arms and slammed them outward.
Li Guanyi's vision blurred—he was sent flying.
It took a while to recover. So close—so close! Clenching his fist, he cursed under his breath.
"Not bad," came the general's appraisal.
"That move is called Celestial Wolf Guard. The dharma aspect protects the body, absorbing powerful attacks. When the absorbed force reaches its limit, the dharma aspect shatters and releases the remaining energy in a devastating burst."
"Both offensive and defensive. Not a bad way to lose."
The Xue general marked another tally.
"That's enough for today."
"You've been fighting for two full hours. Any longer, and your spirit will be drained. If you brought medicinal pills, take one now. It will help your body recover faster and temper your physique."
Li Guanyi collapsed to the ground, panting hard.
Unfortunately, he hadn't brought any pills.
And the Xue general hadn't prepared any either. He simply walked over to the frozen Tiele prince and said, "I'm guessing you don't want to fight again anytime soon. So how about this—"
"If you defeat the Tiele prince within three days—"
"I'll have him teach you Celestial Wolf Guard. Deal?"
Clutching his chest, thinking of that charge through a hail of arrows, Li Guanyi gritted his teeth. It was a baited offer—but he decided to take the bait.
"Deal."
…
After two hours of saber training, Li Guanyi was mentally and physically exhausted. Judging the time, he jumped into the stream again and swam out. The water was ice cold. As he surfaced—
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his chest!
The poison.
Usually kept in check by the bronze cauldron and his inner energy, today's extended use of qi, combined with the lack of medicine, had allowed the long-dormant poison to resurface. His face turned pale, teeth clenched, he endured the agony and swam toward the firelight in the distance.
Emerging from the water, he gasped heavily. The pain made him collapse to the ground, face contorted in agony.
His vision blurred. At the same time, the bronze cauldron flared, and his inner energy flowed again—gradually suppressing the poison's sudden outbreak. He heard footsteps, and then a voice—calm and tranquil as a flowing stream:
"You've been poisoned."
"It's not something difficult to manage. Please come here and rest a while."
The voice seemed to carry a soothing magic, calming his mind.
Weary and poisoned, Li Guanyi suddenly realized he had fallen asleep. When he opened his eyes, the pain was gone. He was still wearing the clothes from the cavern—now dry. Lying on a stone, he looked up at starlight falling from the sky. A warm fire crackled nearby, and a figure in a hooded, simple robe knelt by the flames, reading a scroll.
Seeing his clothes and weapons nearby, Li Guanyi breathed a sigh of relief.
"You saved me?"
The voice remained gentle. "No. You were strong enough to suppress that toxin on your own. You were just too exhausted, and the poison seized the opportunity."
"And you are…?"
The hooded person replied: "The stars in the sky foretell all omens. The chaotic age is upon us. You are one of those destined to bring it forth. I have come to find you, as promised long ago."
That statement reminded Li Guanyi of the old man who had climbed over his wall a few days ago. He declined politely:
"Fate… sounds too mysterious."
The hooded one said, "It's not some mystical force. It's as natural as spring flowers and autumn leaves. People only find it mysterious because they lack the knowledge to understand. You've already stirred the celestial fate among the stars. Please, allow me to show you the origin of this power."
They closed the book, placed a fallen leaf inside as a marker, and rose to approach Li Guanyi.
Kneeling beside him, they extended a hand:
"Please give me your hand. It won't take long—just a moment."
Li Guanyi extended his right hand. The figure gently held it with both hands.
Suddenly—the White Tiger dharma aspect on the bronze cauldron flared to life.
The seven stars of the White Tiger constellation in the sky gleamed brighter than ever. In the Listen-Wind Pavilion, sacred weapons howled in the night wind, stirring the old master from his slumber. Li Guanyi stared at the starry light blooming from his palm—the formerly dormant White Tiger imprint now shining, becoming more complete.
Starlight descended.
The White Tiger dharma aspect appeared on his shoulder.
Under the starlit sky, it fully manifested, shaking excitedly.
The figure withdrew its hands, then slowly pulled back its hood—revealing silver-white hair that cascaded down, a face too beautiful to seem earthly, brown eyes, and a complex golden sigil between the brows. The voice remained serene and gentle as ever, lowering their hands.
"My name is Yaoguang, a disciple of the Eastern School of Astrology."
"I follow the will of Heaven and the guidance of the stars."
"I have come to find you—to fulfill the destined agreement foretold in the celestial charts."
(End of Chapter)