The Shu General

The Guyan Great Desert. Rain poured in torrents, turning the ground to mud on all sides. Through the dark, secluded paths, a convoy sped forward. Cries of mourning drifted on the air. A lacquered black coffin rested inside the central carriage, surrounded by cultivators bowing their heads in tears, lending the scene a somber gravity. The man at the forefront, clad in white robes, looked utterly despondent. It was only when a nearby cultivator spoke to him that he snapped back to his senses, lowering his gaze and asking, “Where have we reached?” The other man consoled him, “Rest assured, Clan Head… War and turmoil rage everywhere, and refugees fill the roads. Our carriages travel swiftly; crossing the desert will take no more than a day.” Zhuang Pingye wore a dazed expression and nodded silently. The unrest in the State of Wu was not a matter of a day or two. The Zhuang clan had heard news of it all along, yet they had never considered leaving—this was the Jinyu Sect! No matter how chaotic the realm became, could the flames truly reach the heartland of the Jinyu Sect? Could they truly engulf the entire desert? Their elder, Zhuang Cheng, was still away putting down rebellions on Jinyu’s behalf… What great disaster could possibly arise? Back then, while his wife, Li Xinghan, was in secluded cultivation, Zhuang Pingye had journeyed south. In his customary market town, he had secretly concealed his identity to carouse with songstresses, only to suddenly hear that an enemy force had breached the desert, followed by word that his father was critically ill. Shocked to his senses, he cast everything aside and sprinted back home. Zhuang Cheng had been lying upon his couch. The old Daoist had risen from a rogue cultivator and earned renown across the desert for his talisman swords. Throughout his life, he had committed many minor errors but never a fatal blunder, and in his twilight years, he had pushed the Zhuang clan to its zenith. Yet in the great battle, he had been gravely wounded and fled back with every ounce of his remaining strength, hanging on by a final breath. Zhuang Cheng paid no heed to his junior. Instead, he summoned Li Xinghan from seclusion to confer. The two compared notes on the situation and sensed that something was amiss. Without waiting for a reply from the lake, the old man made the final wise decision of his life. ‘Flee… flee at once!’ The Zhuang clan was a prominent clan in the desert, an ancient Foundation Establishment lineage that had once hitched itself to the coattails of Lake Wangyue. They had enjoyed great prestige, and their influence within the commandery was unmatched. Yet now, they abandoned everything, not even daring to take flight. Loading all their kin and spiritual goods onto a dozen carriages, they stole out of the city by night and sped eastward. Old Master Zhuang Cheng had not yet breathed his last, but fearing that the phenomena accompanying his death would draw attention, he sealed himself within the coffin to await his end. The entire procession galloped without pause, their feet never touching the ground. Even now, Zhuang Pingye’s hands and feet remained icy cold. Stepping into the carriage, he saw his wife still channeling magic power beside the coffin. He asked in a trembling voice, “Do you need to rest…?” Li Xinghan shook her head. Her brow had matured considerably over the years, and managing the household affairs had lent her an air of competence. Yet at this moment, her thoughts were heavy. ‘The Jinyu Sect did not undergo a peaceful transition after all… Instead, a massacre ensued, which led our clan’s calculations astray…’ The Zhuang clan knew little of the shifts in the State of Wu, but Li Xinghan had access to information and knew that the Jinyu Sect was very likely to be absorbed into the new dynasty. Since the Zhuang clan belonged to Jinyu, the lake had refrained from overstepping bounds to issue instructions. Who could have foreseen that the western army would unleash such slaughter, butchering their way across the land? She sighed inwardly, looking at her disheveled husband in silence. She was not ignorant of Zhuang Pingye’s dalliances outside. She understood well enough that his arrival at the lake years ago had not been born of love at first sight. Whether keeping mistresses or seeking pleasure… at least he was clever and handled matters tactfully, never bringing shame upon her. Over the years, they had lived together with mutual respect, like polite guests. Early on, she had felt a twinge of resentment, but with time, she had grown accustomed to it. Between managing clan affairs, she scarcely had enough time for cultivation and sword practice. Naturally, she would not attempt to forcefully change a man’s nature—nine times out of ten, that would only invite unrest and upheaval. ‘My deepest devotion is to the sword, and I should not demand that his deepest devotion be me.’ Yet with the world turned upside down, perhaps knowing that he might spend the rest of his days subsisting on the goodwill of his wife’s maternal clan, Zhuang Pingye’s voice was exceptionally gentle. His usual underlying poise was gone, replaced by anxiety that she might settle old scores later. This instead stirred a measure of pity in Li Xinghan. The memory of Old Master Zhuang clutching her hand in tears to plead with her was still fresh in her mind. She waved a hand and said, “You needn’t fear. Since the elder could drag his severe injuries all the way from the front lines back to the desert, there must have been divine abilities at work, and Superior Sect Jinyi could not have been unaware… They are likely constrained by some agreement from entering the fray directly, quietly exerting their strength behind the scenes.” Zhuang Pingye was a perceptive man and grasped her point at once. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, though his gaze lingered on her. Li Xinghan turned her attention out the window. Catching sight of distant battle cries surging into the sky, her expression shifted slightly. “What we just passed was Guyan Temple!” “What?” Zhuang Pingye gasped in horror and whispered, “You mean… a force from the west took a shortcut and arrived here ahead of us…” “Either they intend to intercept the desert’s cultivators and prevent them from fleeing to the lake… or they seek to guard against the lake exploiting the chaos to seize territory in the desert!” Li Xinghan nodded and replied, “I suspect they fear the lake receiving word… and wish to launch a surprise attack to seize Mount Xiping!” The husband and wife sat in the carriage for a while, feeling the rain grow heavier and heavier until the hoofbeats before and behind them were entirely drowned out. Yet their passage remained unobstructed, until the wind and rain suddenly ceased. A figure abruptly descended before the carriage, his voice resonant and commanding: “Subordinate Ding Weizeng… by order of the honored Prince of Wei, here to escort the young miss!” ‘The Prince of Wei…’ Li Xinghan was taken aback, though she naturally recognized Ding Weizeng. Zhuang Pingye, receiving her nod, went limp all over and let out a long breath. His gaze flickered toward his wife as Li Xinghan said politely, “Thank you for your trouble, Retainer Ding!” The soft curtain was lifted, letting in a draft of chilly rain. Zhuang Pingye offered an ingratiating smile as he greeted the retainer, then hurriedly pressed both hands to the coffin and tapped lightly. There was no response from within, only a stillness of icy silence. Li Xinghan turned her head away and shed a tear or two for the old man. Zhuang Pingye bowed to Ding Weizeng, standing in a daze, his left hand anxiously soothing the wood of the coffin. His heart felt completely hollow—his father, the elder of lifelong renown… had likely breathed his last midway through the journey, stifled and laden with sorrow inside the coffin. *** Guyan Temple. Rain lashed down over the desert, turning the mud to pools of murky gray-black water. Collapsed ancient walls lay submerged in the mire, exposing battered relics of a bygone era. Thunder rolled across the sky with earth-shaking momentum. On the far side of the desert stood neatly arrayed troops clad in silver armor. Dark-cyan banners fluttered in the gale, displaying the golden character for “Shu.” Carriages and imperial conveyances were lined across the firmament, their three-zhang-tall wheels resting upon the clouds in overwhelming majesty. On the opposite side, multicolored clouds rolled, though the accompanying forces were far sparser. Li Zhouwei stood amidst the clouds, draped in his prince’s mantle and dressed in simple black robes with gold embroidery at the sleeves. Beside him, a burly man clad in bronze held a grand azure-purple banner emblazoned with qilin patterns, standing in the surging celestial light. In the driving rain, several cultivators supported one another at the foot of the mountain, looking utterly battered. Guyan Temple had originally been the site of an ancient wall. Because of its strategic terrain, it had been favored by the Li clan and had long remained close to them as a vassal. After the ancient wall fell, its importance had diminished considerably, yet it remained a bridgehead into the desert. The few cultivators from Guyan Temple hailed from the West Bank; helped to their feet by the Li clan members, they wept in each other’s arms. ‘The Great Shu…’ The dark-cyan banners billowed brightly. Clearly, the Xiao-ruled State of Wu, which had seized the dynastic mandate from Chu, had been stripped of its very last layer of skin. The entire host still reeked of dense, slaughterous intent, a testament to the bloody path they had carved. ‘This house possesses an even fiercer killing aura…’ Yet as Li Zhouwei stood in the sky, unrest rippled through the troops standing in the pools of blood. Light flickered in the air for a moment before a figure led an escort out of the array, riding the wind forward. Halting in the sky, he revealed himself, paused courteously, and clasped his hands in greeting: “I am Ni Hongyan of the Ni clan, Founding Count of Qige and Jiedushi of the Desert-Pacifying Army of the Great Shu… Greetings, my Lord!” ‘True Person Hongyan of the Ni clan…’ Li Zhouwei had heard of him. The Ni clan had always been the right hand of the Sword Sect, administering the Shu lands on their behalf. True Person Hongyan had attained a divine ability long ago and had remained a steadfast adherent of the Taiyang lineage. Now, with the tides of the realm shifting, he had naturally submitted to the banner of the Shu State. It seemed he had obtained no small official rank, only to be dispatched here to Guyan. Li Zhouwei nodded faintly and replied, “Minghuang, Prince of Wei of the Great Song.” True Person Hongyan felt a touch of shame and forced a smile. “So it is the Prince of Wei… Your Highness has crossed the mountains and mobilized troops here. Do you have an important matter to discuss?” The young man smiled faintly, clasping his hands behind his back as he asked, “The people in the temple belong to my lake. Does that count as this Prince mobilizing troops here?” True Person Hongyan took a step back, raising his brows as if to speak, yet wary of being so close to Li Zhouwei. Unable to handle the confrontation, he whispered, “Allow me to report to the Great General.” Before he could turn, another man came riding the wind. With raised brows and wide eyes, clad in brilliant silver armor, he cut an imposing figure. Stopping beside Hongyan, he frowned and said, “Why do you hesitate, Jiedushi?” Li Zhouwei regarded him with cold detachment, yet the man met his gaze without yielding an inch, staring straight at him before demanding, “And who might this be?” This put True Person Hongyan in an awkward position. Stepping forward once more without answering the man, he turned to Li Zhouwei to smooth things over: “Prince of Wei… this is Lord Li Muyan, Meritorious Subject of Xuanwu Lingyi…” Li Zhouwei gave no response, not bothering to spare Li Muyan a second glance. This man had achieved a divine ability only recently, though blessed with some manner of enhancement, he carried an air of distinction and displayed a trace of miraculous resonance. What drew Li Zhouwei’s attention more was the gleaming silver carriage in the distance. Another person had to be inside: ‘I wonder… is it the Emperor of Shu, or someone else?’ To this moment, there was still no word from the Jinyu Sect. Barring any unexpected development, Jinyu should be joined with Changhuai—one of the Jinyi lineage, the other of the Changhuai Immortal Mountain, a truly formidable force. Behind him, Li Zhouda looked somewhat surprised, his eyes turning cold. ‘The Tanshan Li clan…’ How could Li Muyan not know who Li Zhouwei was? Wearing an icy expression, he remarked casually, “Prince of Wei? I act on the Great General’s orders to take Mount Xiping and return. I know nothing of any Prince of Wei.” At these words, Li Zhouwei raised a brow, his golden eyes sweeping toward him. Mount Xiping was a spiritless mountain that separated the two regions. Steep and piercing into the clouds, cultivators of lower cultivation could not even cross it. It was easy to defend and difficult to attack; garrisoning the place required few men, as a single high-level cultivator backed by a formation was enough. Once taken by outsiders, their commanding vantage would leave the lake unable to rest easy. Whether the Shu State was determined to take Mount Xiping was uncertain, but Lake Wangyue could never afford to lose it! True Person Hongyan’s expression shifted, and he sighed inwardly: ‘He truly can’t wait to start a fight…’ Yet since Li Muyan had spoken, Hongyan had nothing left to say. He quietly took a step back, positioning himself behind Li Muyan. The golden-eyed youth sneered, suddenly speaking words that choked Li Muyan’s retort back down his throat: “Li Muyan… The Tanshan Li clan does not recognize the Prince of Wei, but do you recognize Emperor Wei?” Li Muyan had never expected such a reply. His face twisted drastically, and he snapped, “What nonsense is this! My Tanshan Li clan hails from Jiangnan and has not the slightest connection to the north! What is this talk of Emperor Wei!” Yet in the blink of an eye, the young man before him vanished! True Person Hongyan’s face changed drastically as his radiance condensed in an instant. Feeling the scorching celestial light rush at him, he saw Li Zhouwei manifest midair. Gripping forward with one hand, Li Zhouwei brought forth a speck of golden light that stretched outward like flowing water into a crescent halberd. The gleaming, frigid blade suddenly sprang forth, thrusting like a spear. His voice rolled like thunder, cold and majestic: “A clumsy attempt to hide what is already exposed!” Gritting his teeth, Li Muyan’s silver armor blazed with converged divine abilities. Streaks of lightning converged from heaven and earth, empowering his silver armor, while a brilliant golden light erupted from between his brows, illuminating the sky. Li Zhouwei’s halberd slammed down like a mountain, yet remained nimble and elusive, slipping through a seam in the lightning and golden light to pierce downward. A flicker of contempt crossed his brow. Boom! Golden lightning poured forth, but a brown-yellow and emerald umbrella sprang into view, spinning open to radiate a sheet of brown-yellow earth light that shielded against the golden brilliance without letting a single wisp slip through! The Hundred-Ridge Darkstone Umbrella—Wutu countering lightning. His lightning had been blocked with ease, yet the surging halberd blade could not be ignored. Li Muyan opened his mouth and roared, “Hah!” In an instant, a burst of silver lightning rippled outward, detonating around his body and transforming into layers of silver chains that locked onto the halberd, bringing it to an abrupt halt. Beside him, True Person Hongyan unleashed his spiritual tool at the same time. Boiling, hazy flames wound up his arm and coalesced into a lance of spiritual flame, which flew from his hand straight toward Li Zhouwei’s face! Seeing this, Li Muyan sneered coldly. Yet within the surging lightning, the halberd twisted lightly, detonating a burst of bright golden light that caused him to falter, nearly allowing Dasheng to break free on the spot. Li Muyan instantly grew wary: ‘True Person Hongyan achieved divine abilities years ago, his two abilities thoroughly mastered. Though I attained mine only recently, I have the enhancement of the Light of Wenwu, so I am by no means weak. Yet he possesses a karmic mandate, so I must still proceed with caution.’ With that, his divine abilities and magic power swelled even further as he struggled desperately to maintain the lock. Yet Li Zhouwei held the halberd in one hand as if strolling through a garden, not sparing them so much as a glance. Raising his other hand slightly, ten bolts of purple-white lightning crashed down from the sky, striking the flame lance simultaneously. Boom! Thick black smoke billowed upward. Within the vortex of dark clouds above, a purple-gold thunder mace emerged, its golden brilliance stirring Li Muyan’s heart: ‘A fine treasure indeed… to be left gathering dust in Mingyang hands! But this is far from enough… The one surnamed Qing is watching from behind; I must force out some of his real skill!’ Gritting his teeth, he sneered, “You dare mention Emperor Wei? What an insolent, ignorant junior, daring to dream that my Tanshan shares an ancestry with you Wei remnants!” These words fell like a thunderclap, and the first to be shaken was True Person Hongyan. The True Person gasped, his heart dropping into his stomach: ‘…He dares utter such words… Does he truly trust that Qing fellow so blindly!’ With matters brought to this point, Li Zhouwei finally focused his attention back on Li Muyan’s face, a cold wrath tinged with disgust rising in his eyes. “This Prince shall grant your wish.” In a single thought, the golden-eyed youth narrowed his brows. An irresistible colossal force tore through the divine ability, blasting apart a shower of silver fragments. Li Muyan stumbled forward, his divine ability thrown off balance, as a hazy explosion echoed in his ears. Clang! In that instant, his vision blurred. Golden sparks burst before his eyes, his ears rang violently, and the scenery shattered into countless shards of cyan, white, purple, and yellow. Only the din in his ears, the wetness in his nose, and an icy chill remained. ‘…’ His consciousness dimmed for a fleeting instant, as if suddenly climbing out from an abyss of thousands of fathoms, snapping from stupor back into sharp clarity. He started in fright, and the colors before him finally returned to normal! Yet the rolling thunderclouds and True Person Hongyan were gone. Overhead stood a celestial gate radiant as a mountain, and as far as his vision reached was an endless sea of dark gold, with only a solitary point of light. It was the cold-faced Li Zhouwei. The young man seemed far as the horizon, yet right before his eyes. In that single breath, he recognized what the boundless darkness enveloping him truly was… It was neither a divine ability nor a dharma treasure, nor was it a spiritual array or a spiritual veil, but dense, infinite streams of dark-golden light. The Diqi Light. This torrent of divine ability poured down, leaving him like a lone skiff struggling desperately within it, unable to budge. From the firmament above, a mountain-like battleaxe descended slowly, radiating a terrifying aura that choked the breath from his lungs. ‘The Huayang Royal Battleaxe!’ Li Muyan abandoned all dignity, his eyes nearly tearing at the corners: “Great General!” Boom! The wind and rain outside ceased abruptly. Gray qi descended like lightning from the sky, forming a massive hand that seemed to have gathered power for a long time. It roughly swept aside the outer layer of Diqi Light and clamped down ruthlessly! A cold shout rang through the sky at the same time: “Li Zhouwei!” Thud! The Huayang Royal Battleaxe struck something indestructible. Golden dust exploded from the blade, drifting down like rain. A gray orb tumbled out in disarray from midair, unable to steady itself, crashing into the earth like a fallen meteorite! Had he taken a direct blow from the Huayang Royal Battleaxe, even if Li Muyan managed to survive, he would have had to go into hiding to heal for over a decade. Though shielded, cold sweat drenched him. Taking advantage of the shattered Diqi Light, he shed the residual radiance and raised his brows to flee. Yet the black-robed youth had already vanished. The gray qi between heaven and earth condensed abruptly, revealing a youth with delicate features. Clad in plain Daoist robes, his expression was exceedingly grim. He concealed one stinging hand behind his back, while lightly clenching the other in midair. Clang! A ringing hum resounded in everyone’s ears. The western army stumbled in disarray, while a golden bracelet flashed briefly in the air before vanishing once more. Yet in that very instant, the gleaming halberd edge reflected in Li Muyan’s pupils on the other side. Channeling all his divine abilities into his body, he summoned his True Qi and exhaled a stream of white qi from his nostrils: “Order!” Yet the opponent’s spiritual tool arrived far too swiftly! Crash! The gray orb had barely touched down when Li Muyan took the full brunt of the halberd strike. Before the white qi could even coalesce, it was shattered instantly. Li Muyan followed right behind, hurtling from the sky like a falling star into the western battle array. Lightning and fire erupted across the ground, the earth shook, the mountains cracked, and the rain ceased throughout heaven and earth! The youth who had stepped out from the gray qi wore an exceedingly dark expression. Glaring coldly at Li Zhouwei, he strode forward, drawing upon gray qi like a mountain. A brief confrontation hung in the sky before the silver-armored general crawled out from the pile of men, coughing incessantly and spitting out mouthfuls of black blood tinged with purple flames. Before he could steady himself, his face twisted in sheer terror. Almost simultaneously, the youth confronting Li Zhouwei erupted in shock and fury, roaring: “The Prince of Wei has quite the temper!” Clang! What answered him was not Li Zhouwei, but an earth-shattering metallic crash. Right before Li Muyan, an object burst forth from the Great Void with shocking suddenness. It was a golden spear roughly a zhang long, cast entirely in gold, without markings or ridges! The Light-Descending Yingqi Edge! This was an item Li Zhouwei had obtained from the grotto-heaven that had never been put to use. Forged from Xiaojin, it was untethered by cause and effect, free and unrestrained, imperceptible to the senses and impossible to divine! Squelch! Having waited for this opening, the golden light flashed like lightning, piercing straight through Li Muyan’s chest before vanishing. Li Muyan let out a muffled grunt, staggered back several paces, and vomited blood once more. In the sky, the gray qi surged in furious indignation, rumbling like thunder! “Li Zhouwei!” Though the spear had not struck him, it felt as though it had pierced him directly, stabbing straight through his pride. Qing Jifang was a noble scion of an immortal sect, someone who regarded himself as superior to anyone he met under heaven. When had he ever suffered such a loss? Exploding in fury, gray qi blotting out the sky, Qing Jifang sneered, “Good… What a Prince of Wei… To dare show no face to my Changhuai… Let us see who humiliates whom!” The gray orb sprang from the earth into his palm, boiling gray qi billowing and rippling around Li Zhouwei’s dharma body. Yet Li Zhouwei’s expression was rather peculiar as he quietly scrutinized the hand the young man kept hidden behind his back: ‘Worthy of being the son of a Great True Person of Changhuai. To recklessly use his divine ability dharma body to intercept a Fenguang strike from the Huayang Royal Battleaxe—even with a sturdy dharma body, profound arts, and long preparation… four of his fingers must have snapped… and yet he hasn't made a single sound!’ Seeing Li Zhouwei staring straight at the hand behind his back, Qing Jifang understood at once. Feeling as though he had suffered a humiliating insult, fury poured like oil onto a fire. His four fingers hung only by a shred of flesh and skin, and the intense Mingyang divine ability was still spreading across the wound, leaving him truly unable to bring it forward. He gritted his teeth in silent rage: ‘Li Muyan, Ni Xuguang… One took the charade as real, arrogant and careless; the other was cunning and deceitful, dumb as a wooden chicken… To be struck dumb by someone’s spiritual treasure in an instant! If even one of them were a proper Violet Palace, why would I have needed to take that axe strike head-on!’ His cultivation arts were sublime, his birth noble, and his treasures plentiful. In any ordinary duel, he would never have allowed such a cumbersome weapon to strike him! He believed he had countless ways to injure Li Zhouwei here, yet he was forced to endure this humiliation! ‘Li Zhouwei… laugh while you can… Once you suffer in the north, let us see if anyone at Lake Wangyue can still laugh!’