To Defeat You Takes but a Single Spear

At nightfall, the melodies of pipes and strings resonated through Prince Wei's Estate. Not only was the main hall brightly illuminated, but two rows of glazed palace lanterns had also been erected in the square outside, bathing the entire courtyard in light as clear as day. With the doorkeeper's drawn-out call—"Lord Wei, Military Commissioner of Dingxi, has arrived!"—the lively clamor in the hall fell instantly silent, and every gaze turned toward the grand entrance. Wei Yuan had already changed into casual robes and entered Prince Wei's Estate accompanied by Cui Yu and Xu Yi. A moment later, Wei Yuan took his seat before the hall on the raised dais of the head table, seated to Prince Wei's right. Five people sat at the head table in total. To Prince Wei's left, surprisingly, was Princess Ningguo. She sat primly upright, not sparing Wei Yuan so much as a glance. Turning a blind eye to Princess Ningguo's odd demeanor, Prince Wei smilingly introduced the guests to Wei Yuan one by one. They were all either the youngest sons of some prince or the heirs of dukes and marquises. The few who held official posts were very young, likely none older than thirty-five. Holding ranks of their own, Cui Yu and Xu Yi were also permitted to sit in the hall. Yet hearing the illustrious titles of the elders behind these young masters, both felt a quiet disdain. Those honors belonged to their grandparents, fathers, and uncles, not to them. As core scions of top-tier aristocratic clans, Cui Yu and Xu Yi saw these young masters as nothing more than a flock of upstarts. A few generations down the line, who would even remember their names? They would not even need that long; strip away their official titles, and they would immediately be knocked right back to where they started. However, months of brutal combat had tempered the two far more than a decade anywhere else could have. Neither made any move to flaunt his background, choosing instead to sit quietly at the table. Great Tang prized martial valor, and staging duels at banquets to liven the mood was commonplace, so before long someone was bound to step forward to spar. Wei Yuan was weak, so Cui Yu felt he ought to take his place. Had Ji Liuli, Feng Tingyu, or their like taken the field, it would have been far too unfair, which was why the immortal foundations had all stayed behind in the domain to guard against the Shamans. The coachman who had driven Wei Yuan's carriage leaned against the vehicle outside, drawing out a pipe and lighting it. The embers flickered in and out, subtly aligning with the constellations in the night sky. Once the introductions were complete, Prince Wei smiled and said, "Lord Wei is young and capable. Since our Great Jin was founded, we have never seen a full second-rank official under the age of twenty. Before Lord Wei, even this prince feels as though I have lived my life in vain. Those gathered in this hall tonight are also the finest talents of Great Jin's younger generation, making this a fine opportunity for all of you to become acquainted." Next came the customary courtesies, toasts, and pleasantries. Prince Wei was crisp and decisive, so this part of the evening passed quickly. At that point, a young master cleared his throat and announced in a clear voice, "I have long heard that Lord Wei hails from the Palace of Grand Beginning, possessing shocking Dao arts and rarely meeting an equal among those of the same tier! This young master is from Qinglang Grotto-Heaven and would like to ask Lord Wei for a bit of guidance." The meat of the performance was finally here. The young masters and mistresses across the banquet perked up at once, their eyes turning toward Wei Yuan. Cui Yu frowned and was about to rise, but Xu Yi caught his arm. Cui Yu transmitted mentally, "Why are you stopping me? A piece of trash like that—I could cut him down in three sword strikes!" Xu Yi replied, "Right now we are merely Lord Wei's subordinates. If we leap out before his lordship has spoken, it will only make it look like his lordship has poor control over his men and lacks discipline!" "So what? Does his reputation have any room left to fall?" Xu Yi's heart stirred. "Could his lordship still not know about his 'Three Thrusts' nickname?" Cui Yu looked thoughtful. "He probably doesn't, or he wouldn't be sitting there so calmly." Though Wei Yuan was weak, his eyesight remained keen. With a single glance, he could tell that this young master possessed a Heaven Tier Dao Foundation and was nearing the late Dao Foundation stage. Qinglang Grotto-Heaven was a prominent sect, presided over by four True Monarchs. The Dao arts they taught could likewise reach Unity, though along only a single path. Wei Yuan glanced at Prince Wei, who smiled and said, "This is simply the custom in Great Jin. Lord Wei will soon grow used to it. It is merely a casual spar; win or lose, it will not harm our harmony." By now, the young master had stepped into the center of the hall and called out, "This battle is dedicated to Princess Ningguo!" Princess Ningguo lowered her eyes, appearing somewhat bashful, her hands unconsciously gripping her sleeves. Prince Wei laughed heartily. "In that case, how about this? Whoever wins shall receive a personal token from Princess Ningguo as a prize. What do you say?" Princess Ningguo glared resentfully at Wei Yuan, then assumed a coy expression, biting her lip as she whispered, "Very well!" Wei Yuan felt helpless. Back then, her carriage had been packed with swords, spears, and halberds, and a sand table with battle formations had rested on her desk. Now she was putting on the act of a frail, delicate maiden—who would believe this? The young masters in the room believed it completely. The princess reached up and pulled out a hairpin. Half of her lustrous hair cascaded down, radiating such breathtaking beauty in an instant that everyone was struck dumb. This Princess Ningguo truly grew more stunning the longer one looked, seemingly without limit. What was more, though she appeared slender, many parts of her were delightfully rounded; she could not move lightly, for the slightest motion brought the whole picture vividly to life. Only after a moment did the young masters snap back to their senses, shouting their approval. Several of them had their Qi surging, itching to give it a try. At this point, Wei Yuan had a tiger by the tail. If he refused to take the floor, his reputation would be ruined. The young master in the hall glanced at Cui Yu and Xu Yi, sneering, "If Lord Wei is truly too cowardly to take the field, sending one of your subordinates will do as well! This young master will take on anyone." Cui Yu flew into a rage. "Who the hell do you think you—" Xu Yi clamped down hard, keeping Cui Yu from standing, and slapped a hand over his mouth. Toward Xu Yi, his companion who had followed him all the way to the domain, Cui Yu still showed some deference. Though he was furious enough to point at the young master with muffled shouts, he did not use Dao power to break free by force. At this point, Wei Yuan finally spoke up: "Prince Wei, what was this young master's name again?" Prince Wei was taken aback. "I just introduced him a moment ago..." "I forgot." The young master in the hall flushed red with fury, struggling to contain his rage so he wouldn't charge forward. Prince Wei, however, was a veteran of many storms and maintained his composure. "This is Liu Jin, the eldest son of Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Rites. Since childhood, he has cultivated under Qinglang Grotto-Heaven." Wei Yuan frowned slightly. "A vice minister... isn't that rank three?" Prince Wei smiled. "Indeed." "Oh, rank three." Wei Yuan repeated the words, finally looking toward the young master in the hall, gazing at him squarely for the first time. "Liu Jin, was it? What tier is your Dao Foundation, and what realm? Speak up and let me hear." Liu Jin's cheek twitched, and he gritted his teeth. "Heaven Tier, on the verge of Spirit Nourishing! What, are you scared?" Wei Yuan rose slowly to his feet and said blandly, "As it stands, I have at least some Earth Tier Dao power left in me. Wouldn't that be bullying the small with the great? But since you sincerely ask for guidance, I shall impart a little experience to you." Wei Yuan stepped into the center of the hall. Liu Jin was already beside himself with fury. Without another word, he waved his hand, and a large azure hawk materialized, sharp talons raking straight for Wei Yuan's face! Yet when the talons were still an inch from Wei Yuan's face, they could advance no further. Its neck had been seized firmly by Wei Yuan. Among the many young masters and mistresses present, not a single one had seen how Wei Yuan made his move. Liu Jin grew vicious. The azure hawk suddenly twisted its body and thrust out a talon, which extended several inches and clawed viciously across Wei Yuan's face! As the tip of the claw scraped across Wei Yuan's skin, sparks actually flew! Wei Yuan clenched his fingers, crushing the hawk with a pop into a burst of Dao power. Then, in a single stride, he was right before Liu Jin, his right hand delivering a light punch to Liu Jin's abdomen. Liu Jin's mind went completely blank. His entire body's Dao power refused to obey his commands, and his Dao Foundation was nearly shattered by that one blow! The punch carried no Dao power, no mystical arts—it was simply heavy, unspeakably heavy. Furthermore, the force of the single strike coursed through his entire body, as though every single inch of him had taken a hit! Liu Jin slowly doubled over and sank to his knees. Wei Yuan patted him on the shoulder and said, "While Dao power is important, the physical body is also a vessel for traversing this mortal world and must not be neglected. Go back and train your body properly. With that frail frame of yours, you won't get far on the immortal path." With a thud, Liu Jin fell to both knees, slowly curling into a ball, unable to utter a single word. Having fiercely showcased the strength of his physique, Wei Yuan slowly looked up, only to find everyone staring fixedly at his left cheek, dumbstruck. Wei Yuan instinctively wanted to feel his face to see if he had somehow gotten it dirty, but sensing that his face was completely clean, he did not raise his hand. Liu Jin's Dao Foundation azure hawk was well-known among the young elite of the Jin capital. The hawk was swift as lightning, capable of cleaving gold and shattering stone with a single swipe. Yet everyone had seen clearly just now: the azure hawk had struck Wei Yuan square in the face, yet had not left behind even a faint white mark! This face of his could probably only be cut by an immortal sword. The hall fell quiet for a moment. Seeing that no one else was seeking guidance, Wei Yuan was about to return to his seat when a faint prickling pain pierced the center of his brow—someone had actually locked onto his sea of consciousness directly with killing intent! A young swordsman kneeling behind Princess Ningguo rose slowly, his aura climbing step by step, his murderous intent completely undisguised. He stared at Wei Yuan, speaking each word deliberately: "The princess's belongings are not so easily claimed." Wei Yuan's expression darkened once more. To openly lock onto a rival's vitals with killing intent was like pointing at an opponent's nose while cursing him, with the finger already jabbing into his face—an utter insult. The issue was that Wei Yuan had never wanted that hairpin in the first place, yet now he had been made to look as though he were fighting with all his might just to snatch an intimate accessory off Ningguo. The swordsman walked slowly into the center and said, "Xin Ji of Zhao, hailing from the Sword Palace, immortal foundation, peak Revival stage. I wish to experience Lord Wei's Dao arts. If Lord Wei loses, you need only offer an apology to the princess." Wei Yuan shot a cold look at Prince Wei. Prince Wei sat smiling, acting as if he hadn't noticed a thing. Wei Yuan suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Since when did people of the same realm dare challenge me? It seems I have been too softhearted, which is why so many clownish buffoons keep popping up!" The faces of the young masters present naturally turned as dark as could be. None of them had expected Wei Yuan to be so arrogant. Yet his words seemed hard to fault. Wei Yuan then turned his gaze to the swordsman Xin Ji and said coldly, "To defeat you takes but a single spear." Furious to the point of laughing, the swordsman manifested an immortal sword that rippled like water in his hand. "Then let me see how you defeat me with a single spear!" Princess Ningguo's eyes flickered, revealing a hint of cunning. Wei Yuan was still impatient after all—a slight provocation had trapped him in his own words. "Bring my spear!" Wei Yuan called out. An attendant immediately brought forward the Spotless Pure Land. By now, the Spotless Pure Land had been fitted with a spearhead, with no gunpowder loaded inside, prepared specifically for banquet sparring. With spear in hand, Wei Yuan crooked a finger at the swordsman. Enraged, the swordsman ignited a mass of azure light before him. Countless streams of sword Qi layered upon one another, rising slowly like a sun forged of sword Qi! Yet while his sword Qi was only halfway gathered, the entire hall suddenly trembled. Wei Yuan stomped against the ground, closing the distance in a single step right before the swordsman. The sheer force of that stomp sent tremors through the protective grand array encompassing all of Prince Wei's Estate! Wei Yuan thrust his spear directly into the sun of sword Qi. The horrifying might of his physical strength instantly shattered countless streams of sword Qi, and the few lingering wisps that struck Wei Yuan left behind nothing more than a few faint red welts. The supreme art of the Sword Palace, Azure Sun Shining Over Three Prefectures, had been broken by Wei Yuan through pure physical power! Having weathered this thrust, Xin Ji finally realized just how terrifying Wei Yuan's physique was—even an adult giant among the bloodthirsty Mountain Folk could hardly surpass this. With his azure sun of sword Qi shattered, Xin Ji staggered backward, only to see Wei Yuan swing the spear around once more, wielding it like a staff to smash straight down upon his head! This strike was overwhelmingly ferocious, descending like a falling star. He had no choice but to bring up his sword horizontally to parry. With a deafening boom, countless strands of sword Qi splattered in all directions, and the immortal sword in his hand snapped cleanly in two, damaging his Dao Foundation. Xin Ji collapsed to the ground, pointing at Wei Yuan in grief and fury, but blood welled from his mouth, rendering him speechless for the moment. Wei Yuan declared at once, "Let me ensure you understand how you lost. This spear strike of mine is called: Plum Blossoms Twice!" The entire hall fell silent. Setting aside whether that had been one spear strike or two, across both fights Wei Yuan had not employed a shred of Dao power, defeating his opponents entirely through physical might and crushing them with absolute ease. Such a physique was simply beyond human capability; even legendary demon gods and devil kings were surely no more than this. Wei Yuan let out a hearty laugh and said to Prince Wei, "I have had my fill of fun today, so I will disturb you no longer. If Your Highness still has the inclination, we shall meet at the Autumn Hunt! Farewell!" Without waiting for Prince Wei to see him off, Wei Yuan strode out of the main hall. From outside the hall came the faint sound of Wei Yuan's voice: "If there is ever another invitation card from Prince Wei, throw it out immediately!" Someone asked, "Lord Wei, isn't this... a bit improper?" "He's nothing more than a prince with no real power anyway. What is there to fear from him?"