The war still raged on, but Wei Yuan's Grand Examination had already come to an end.
Just as they returned to Shayang Village, a flying boat cut through the sky and slowly descended before Wei Yuan and his party.
The cabin door opened, and several Daoists walked out. The man in the lead had a complexion like a ripe date and bore an imposing aura without even showing anger. The moment he appeared, clear Qi surged within a hundred fathoms around him while yellow mists receded, marking him as an advanced cultivator even among dharma idols. His gaze was sharp as lightning as he surveyed his surroundings. Seeing Zhang Sheng and Bao Yun, his expression softened, and he nodded in greeting. Then, upon catching sight of Wei Yuan, his gaze grew remarkably gentle, and a smile touched his face.
The Perfected Person's gaze did flit past Li Zhi as well, but he treated him like thin air. Clearly, the son of a state duke had not yet reached the level that would catch a Perfected Person's eye.
The Perfected Person said, "This poor Daoist is Perfected Person Huxing. By decree of the Immortal Monarch, Wei Yuan and Zhang Sheng are summoned to return to the Palace of Grand Beginning at once, without delay."
"But there are still my brother's funeral affairs..." Wei Yuan hesitated.
Perfected Person Huxing's expression softened further, and he said, "I am already aware of what transpired here. How about this: you may remain for another two hours. This old Daoist can still suppress the heavenly secrets for that long."
Though Perfected Person Huxing did not elaborate on the specific reasons, Wei Yuan knew the matter was of grave importance if someone of the Perfected Person's capabilities could only suppress the heavenly secrets for two hours. Zhang Sheng appeared deep in thought and also chimed in, "Since the Immortal Monarch has summoned us, it is best that we depart on schedule."
Wei Yuan nodded and walked toward Shayang Village. At this moment, Sun Chao'en was leading several hundred men in carrying the corpses out of the village one by one, while others cradled severed heads in their hands. Many people, after seeing the sight within the village, threw themselves onto the ground and vomited violently, only to pick themselves up and carry on working once they were finished.
Holding Fang Hetong's head, Wei Yuan said softly, "Fortunately, I have not failed my task. Brother Fang's head has been recovered, and the culprits have all been slain."
Sun Chao'en nodded somewhat numbly and led Wei Yuan to the village entrance. A coffin sat by the entrance, and inside lay Fang Hetong's headless body in quiet repose. Wei Yuan placed the head inside, carefully straightening it, and then sealed the severed neck with Dao power.
"How will Brother Fang's funeral be arranged?" Wei Yuan asked.
Sun Chao'en looked down at Fang Hetong in the coffin and said, "I intend to send Junior Brother's body back to the academy. He spent more than half his life there and had originally planned to spend the remainder of his days teaching there as well. It is better to let him rest in his favorite place. Being buried at the academy will also show the children there how books ought to be read, and what a true scholar should truly look like. As for Junior Brother's family, the academy will look after them. You need not worry."
With Sun Chao'en's thoughtful arrangements, Wei Yuan felt at ease.
Caressing the coffin, Sun Chao'en suddenly said, "Pardon my presumption in addressing you as worthy brother. In the future, I may commit many villainous deeds. If you find them intolerable, do not be in a rush to slay me. Grant me enough time to accomplish what I set out to do, and I will naturally give you an accounting."
"Why say such a thing?"
Sun Chao'en pointed upward and said, "The world is in such a state, and imperial governance is likewise. Thus, I wish to climb up and take a look, to see why those people act the way they do."
As for what he would do once he got up there, Sun Chao'en did not say, nor did he need to.
"There is still a bit of time left. If you have any words for my junior brother, worthy brother, speak them here. I will step aside for now." With that, Sun Chao'en dragged his heavy body away, trudging off step by step into the distance.
Looking down at Fang Hetong in the coffin, Wei Yuan remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Brother Fang, this Dao Foundation of mine might not be what you wished to see. In the days ahead, I will do many things that, should you ever learn of them, would likely make you point at my nose and curse me. But even if you curse me, I must still do them. I am sorry. Rest well. When I have slaughtered the alien tribes on all four borders until they can only sing and dance, and the world is finally at peace, I will come back and drink with you!"
With that, Wei Yuan exerted strength in both hands and slowly slid the coffin lid shut.
The flying boat slowly rose into the sky, heading toward the Palace of Grand Beginning.
The vessel they rode for their return journey was not the massive barge from when they came, but a light boat like the one Wei Yuan had taken after the unified examination. With Perfected Person Huxing's empowerment, a journey that had taken seven days on the way here would require only a single day to return.
Forging a Dao Foundation meant being reborn through a complete transformation, and with the vibrant life force provided by the fruit Bao Yun had fed him, all of Wei Yuan's injuries had fully healed. In contrast, Zhang Sheng had no choice but to enter secluded cultivation to heal, shutting himself away in a quiet chamber the moment he boarded the boat. The physical body was easily mended, but an origin soul was difficult to restore. With a strand of his origin soul annihilated, Zhang Sheng would need at least several months to recover it.
Not long after the vessel set out, a middle-aged Daoist approached Wei Yuan and unrolled a sheet of jade paper before him. "This poor Daoist comes to settle Junior Brother Wei's merit points and calculate your Grand Examination results."
"Has the Grand Examination not ended yet?"
Stroking his beard, the Daoist said, "Vice Palace Master Pei specifically issued word to summon you back to the palace for an audience, so you no longer need to take part in the remaining examinations. After you slayed Kanbida, the young master of Northern Liao, the Agula tribe was thrown into utter chaos. When Kanbida was alive, he was the undisputed heir to the throne, so his many brothers behaved themselves. Now that he is dead, several of his brothers have developed ambitions to contend for the succession. Each has mustered their own forces and no longer has any heart for marching south. Before long, the peril facing the two commanderies of Ganzhou should be resolved. Of course, such tremendous merit must also be credited to you, Junior Brother. Even if the war continues, with the merit points you hold right now, you are practically guaranteed first place in the Grand Examination—or among the top three at the very least.
"Furthermore, Kanbida was the most cherished son of Hulehachi, the Firmament Snow Eagle. You killed him and even survived multiple strikes from that old bird; the old bird's lungs must be bursting with rage, and he is liable to do anything. If you were to remain here, a Perfected Person would have to be spared to watch over you around the clock. Moreover, you provoked the heaven and earth of the Liao domain, and heaven's murderous intent is now directed at you—something an ordinary Perfected Person could not withstand. Therefore, the Immortal Monarch made the decisive call to summon you back to the palace at once. That old bird can only seethe in futile fury, and perhaps he might do something foolish, which would only earn you another pile of merit points, Junior Brother."
That was indeed the truth. If that snow eagle cast aside all dignity and sneakily infiltrated the human domain to mount an ambush, Wei Yuan would hardly survive if caught unprepared. Although launching an ambush within the human domain meant that the counterattack from the human race's Perfected Persons would surely grievously wound Hulehachi, Wei Yuan would already be dead by then. The Palace of Grand Beginning naturally would not allow such a thing to occur, so they chose to recall Wei Yuan outright.
The Daoist tapped with a finger, and densely packed records of merit points surfaced upon the jade paper. He went through them item by item with Wei Yuan, doing so with meticulous care.
"One hundred and twenty-six common cavalrymen slain: one hundred and twenty-six merit points.
Four captains slain: eighty merit points.
One centurion slain: two hundred merit points.
Ninety common Snow Eagle Cavalry slain: one thousand eight hundred merit points.
Nine Snow Eagle decurions slain: two thousand seven hundred merit points.
Kanbida slain: three thousand two hundred merit points.
Hulehachi, the Firmament Snow Eagle, wounded: one thousand merit points.
Internal turmoil incited within the Agula tribe: two thousand merit points."
The long string of numbers made even Wei Yuan feel slightly dizzy. Whether driving north or retreating south, his mind had been essentially blank; he had not kept count of how many he had killed at all. On his return journey south, he had encountered several waves of interceptors and had punched straight through them each time. The Liao young master's war horse was already a divine steed to begin with, and empowered by Outlaw of Heaven and Earth, it moved like wind and lightning, barely slower than the Snow Eagle dharma idol's flight. Furthermore, each time Wei Yuan took a strike from Hulehachi, he had borrowed its force to open up distance. Only in this manner was he able to battle his way across a thousand li and make it back south.
Wei Yuan himself had never imagined he had killed so many and achieved such immense spoils of war. Adding what he had earned from his earlier battles, his total merit points had now surpassed twelve thousand—which was worth over a hundred thousand taels of immortal silver!
Chapter 89