Chapter 121 - 119: The Long Song of Guanzheng, Horizontal Blade Celestial Edge
Jiang Xibai was not yet thirty this year and was also one of the prodigies of Zhenwu Hall’s younger generation.
Moreover, he hailed from the Po Jun Guard, Zhenwu Hall’s strongest combat unit. He held himself in high regard and had never truly acknowledged anyone among the younger generation within the hall.
But after witnessing Chen Yuan attack and slay Bo Gudun with such destructive ease, Jiang Xibai was finally, truly convinced.
He had been hunted so miserably by Bo Gudun that he didn’t even have the strength to fight back. Yet, in his place, Chen Yuan had managed to forcibly kill the man, whose Life Force was freakishly tenacious.
Truly, his reputation was well-deserved.
By now, the members of the Chi Shu Tribe had been all but wiped out, so everyone began to clean up the battlefield.
Chen Yuan, meanwhile, returned to Bo Gudun’s body. He picked up the Earth Soldier Long Saber from the man’s hand and had Lu Li collect the suit of Golden Armor.
No matter how sharp the Cyan Dragon Blood Drink was, it was still only a Profound Soldier, whereas the long saber in Bo Gudun’s hand was a genuine Earth Soldier.
Chen Yuan held it in his hands, observing it carefully. The blade was long, narrow, and straight—the style of a Horizontal Saber.
The hilt was also long and slender, inscribed with an intricate coiling dragon pattern. There were also a few lines of text that seemed to indicate a date, but the script was different from that of Great Xia.
Chen Yuan channeled his True Qi into it, and a sharp glint instantly bloomed from the blade.
This Sharpness Power could shatter blades and tear through True Qi; it was incredibly formidable.
Jiang Xibai said from the side, "That is the Horizontal Blade Celestial Edge, one of the Fourteen Soldiers of Guanzheng Changge."
"The Fourteen Soldiers of Guanzheng Changge? Brother Jiang, you know the origin of this blade?"
Jiang Xibai nodded. "During the Guanzheng golden age of the previous dynasty, the Great Yong, the Court commissioned fourteen of the world’s top Weapon Masters to each forge a weapon. Together, they were called the Guanzheng Changge.
"Of these Fourteen Soldiers of Guanzheng Changge, three were Celestial Soldiers and eleven were Earth Soldiers. All were housed in the Great Yong Imperial Palace to commemorate the Guanzheng golden age.
"In later years, as the Great Yong declined into decadence, the Golden Horde rose on the Grassland and even managed to invade the Great Yong Capital City to plunder it.
"As a result, more than half of the Fourteen Soldiers of Guanzheng Changge fell into the hands of the Golden Horde.
"Bo Gudun is a Descendant of the Thirty-Six Kings of the Golden Horde, so it’s not unusual for him to possess this weapon."
Jiang Xibai glanced at Bo Gudun’s Golden Helmet again and said, "That Golden Helmet is also an heirloom armor from the peak of the Golden Horde, passed down among the Thirty-Six Kings. It can withstand a blow from a Profound Soldier, making it a treasure as well."
Chen Yuan shook his head. "The Horizontal Blade Celestial Edge is not bad, but this Golden Armor is useless to me."
In terms of material, the Celestial Blade was comparable to the Cyan Dragon Blood Drink, but it had the Attribute of shattering blades and tearing through True Qi, making it a perfect replacement.
Although Bo Gudun’s Golden Armor of the Thirty-Six Kings was a treasure, for Chen Yuan it was a white elephant.
Wearing such heavy armor would hinder his ability to exert his full strength, and the defensive boost wasn’t all that significant.
Guan Zhenshan said from the side, "Lord Chen, if you don’t want this Golden Armor, I could exchange it for Heavenly and Earthly Treasures like Elixirs and Spiritual Medicines.
"The Hachal and Lin Khanate claims to be the successor to the Golden Horde, but in reality, many tribes on the Grassland refuse to submit to them.
"Therefore, the Hachal and Lin Khanate has been collecting all sorts of treasures left behind by the old Golden Horde. This Golden Armor of the Thirty-Six Kings is of extraordinary significance to them.
"Selling it on the Grassland would fetch a much higher price than selling it in the Central Plains."
Chen Yuan nodded. "Then I’ll have to trouble Master Guan."
After cleaning up the battlefield, Chen Yuan took Jiang Xibai and the other Po Jun Guard members directly back to Kaiping Prefecture to rest and recover. At the same time, he used an Array to send a message to Liu Suifeng, telling him that Jiang Xibai had been rescued.
Upon receiving the news, Liu Suifeng told Jiang Xibai to bring the Po Jun Guard back to the Main Hall, and also asked Chen Yuan to come to the Main Hall to receive his reward.
One of Zhenwu Hall’s rules was that merit must be rewarded.
Inspectors and Guardian Envoys presiding over Prefecture Cities and smaller towns is their duty, but any merits achieved beyond that must be rewarded.
Chen Yuan’s rescue of Jiang Xibai was considered a mission completed above and beyond his duties, so naturally, it came with a reward.
So, after a night of recuperation, Chen Yuan followed the Po Jun Guard to the Main Hall the next day.
Meanwhile, within the Nine Swords Alliance, Zuo Feiyu had also received news of the Chi Shu Tribe’s annihilation.
Staring at the news written in black and white, Zuo Feiyu’s expression was grim, as dark as the bottom of a pot.
He had invested heavily in the Chi Shu Tribe, sending them a considerable amount of resources every month to support them.
And that arrogant bastard Bo Gudun was always boasting about his noble birth, constantly reminding everyone he was a Descendant of the Thirty-Six Kings of the Golden Horde.
Zuo Feiyu had grown sick of hearing it, but he still had to play along and flatter the man.
He had invested so much in them, all to use the Chi Shu Tribe as a surprise trump card one day.
But on its very first deployment, this trump card had been crushed by that Chen Tian. How could he accept this?
Zuo Feiyu even had a feeling now that he was constantly living in Chen Tian’s shadow, as if he had unknowingly lost a great deal.
Ever since he had encountered that Chen Tian, it was safe to say he’d been on a streak of bad luck.
He had tried to recruit Wei Guangming and Elder Qi’s Dao at the Border of Youning, but both ended up dead at Chen Yuan’s hands.
He had incited the Xu Family to annex the Guan Family’s Celestial Star Ranch, but the Xu Family was wiped out, and he lost Wu Youqing in the process.
Now, by having Bo Gudun make a move, he had ended up sacrificing the entire Chi Shu Tribe. It made Zuo Feiyu so frustrated he felt like coughing up blood.
Just then, Zuo Tianyuan’s voice suddenly came from behind Zuo Feiyu.
"To become disheartened and slack off at the first sign of a setback—how will you ever achieve greatness in the future?!"
Zuo Feiyu turned his head, but just as he was about to speak, Zuo Tianyuan cut him off.
"I know you have suffered several consecutive losses at the hands of that Chen Tian, but what does that amount to?
"When I roamed the Central Plains Martial Arts world in my youth, the geniuses I met were as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. Countless prodigies and chosen ones from the Hidden Dragon Rankings of the past now stand at the peak, looking down on the Jianghu.
"Yet here I am, middle-aged, my foundation still not established, forced to endure and develop in the cracks of Zhenwu Hall.
"If you can’t even withstand such a tiny setback now, then even if I manage to build the Nine Swords Alliance into a great power in the future, you won’t be able to hold onto it!"
Zuo Feiyu took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Father, I was wrong. I just couldn’t think clearly for a moment.
"I will not compete with that Chen Tian over a temporary victory or defeat. The road of the Jianghu is long, and the final outcome is still unknown!"
Zuo Tianyuan said gravely, "That’s more like it. The Land of Youning is ultimately too small. The Central Plains Martial Arts world is filled with countless prodigies. Once you’ve seen the truly vast world out there, what will today’s minor setbacks matter?
"The Medicine King Valley’s Furnace Opening Assembly is about to be held. Most of the young prodigies from the major powers in the Jianghu will be there to participate in this grand event.
"The Nine Swords Alliance has accumulated some Spiritual Medicines during this time. I’ll give you a portion to exchange for Elixirs, and one Top Grade Spiritual Medicine for you to participate in the Furnace Opening Assembly.
"I don’t expect you to win the Furnace Opening Divine Pill. I only hope you can befriend more prodigies of the Jianghu and witness the even vaster world of the Central Plains Martial Arts."
"I understand, Father. I will not fail your expectations!"
Zuo Tianyuan gently patted Feiyu’s shoulder and nodded in satisfaction.
He was very satisfied with his only son.
At such a young age, his mind and methods far surpassed those of other Martial Artists his age.
He himself had started as a Loose Cultivator and only reached his current Realm and status after countless life-and-death battles in the Jianghu.
Although he had reached the Grandmaster Realm, he lacked the foundation and heritage of his peers who came from top Sects and Families.
Now, he had at least managed to build some foundation of his own, allowing Zuo Feiyu to have a higher starting point. Perhaps his son’s future achievements would even surpass his own.
...
「Inside Taining Prefecture, the Main Hall of Zhenwu Hall.」
Jiang Xibai took the Po Jun Guard back to report, while Chen Yuan went to Liu Suifeng’s residence.
As soon as he entered, Chen Yuan saw Liu Feiyan lifting two enormous stone locks, tempering her physical strength.
The stone locks were nearly the size of water vats. Liu Feiyan had a slender figure, and a single lock was about three times her size. The scene was as incongruous as it could possibly be.
"Miss Liu, you’ve entered the Qi Casting Realm?"
Chen Yuan was slightly surprised.
’Liu Suifeng’s special training is quite effective,’ he thought. ’It’s been a while, and Liu Feiyan has actually broken through a major Realm.’
’Is Liu Suifeng trying to make Liu Feiyan follow a Body Refining path? Every time I see her, she’s tempering her strength and Qi Blood.’
"If I train like this every day and still don’t break through, I’d really be a useless piece of cake."
Liu Feiyan hadn’t seen an outsider in a long time and was very happy to see Chen Yuan.
"Brother Chen, I heard you killed the Little Prince, Bo Gudun, and saved Jiang Xibai?
"Haha, that guy is so arrogant, he looks down on everyone.
"Last time I told him how powerful you are, he didn’t believe me. Now you’ve saved his life—talk about a slap in the face."
A look of schadenfreude appeared on Liu Feiyan’s face.
"Brother Jiang is arrogant? I thought he was very humble."
Liu Feiyan shook her head. "That’s because you saved him. That’s why he’s being humble.
"Don’t be fooled by his looks—he’s as pretty as a girl, but in reality, he’s a martial arts maniac.
"If you’re stronger than him, then everything’s fine.
"But if you’re not as good as him, he won’t even bother to look you in the eye."
As she said this, there was a hint of resentment in Liu Feiyan’s voice.
Like Jiang Xibai, she was part of Zhenwu Hall’s second generation, so they must have known each other since they were children.
One could imagine how much Jiang Xibai must have put her down when they were young.
The two chatted for a moment more before Liu Suifeng’s voice came from inside the house.
"Get back to your training. Don’t use any excuse to slack off. Young Friend Chen, come in and talk."
Liu Feiyan made a face at the house and went back to lifting her stone locks.
Chen Yuan stepped inside. Liu Suifeng was still engrossed in a book.
Seeing Chen Yuan enter, Liu Suifeng smiled. "You did very well rescuing Jiang Xibai. On top of that, you killed Bo Gudun and completely annihilated the Chi Shu Tribe. This is a great accomplishment."
"Does our Zhenwu Hall have a feud with the Chi Shu Tribe?"
Liu Suifeng said, "Not with the Chi Shu Tribe, but with the Golden Horde. To be precise, the entire Central Plains Martial Arts world has a feud with the Golden Horde.
"In the final years of the Great Yong, the Golden Horde invaded the Central Plains, burning, killing, and plundering. They slaughtered our people and damaged the very foundations of the Central Plains.
"Every one of the Thirty-Six Kings of the Golden Horde has the blood of countless people of our Central Plains on their hands.
"You have now completely severed one of the bloodlines of the Thirty-Six Kings. This achievement is not just a merit within Zhenwu Hall; in the Jianghu, it is a resounding feat you can be proud of."