This vast army stopped at the border between Yunzhou and Qingzhou. On the roadside ahead, there stood a stele with the characters “Qingzhou” engraved upon it.
Ji Xuan nudged his horse forward and dashed out from the ranks. Amid the clattering of hooves, he rode to the front of the central formation, turned his head, and looked at the commander seated imposingly beneath the command banner on horseback. Smiling, he said,
“Marshal Qi, do you think our sixty thousand elite soldiers, plus thirty thousand militia, will be enough for the Jianzheng to kill?”
The commander of the Yunzhou rebel army, Qi Guangbo, looked up at the sky and said indifferently,
“Our enemy has never been the Jianzheng.”
He was dignified and handsome, with a deep ‘川’ crease between his brows.
Ji Xuan, too, glanced up at the sky, then withdrew his gaze and smiled,
“Sir, you have kept your talents hidden for fifteen years, a dragon lying in the depths, your knowledge veiled and never revealed, like walking in brocade by night, sleeves concealing gold. Yet, before long, the whole Central Plains and even all Jiuzhou will know your name.”
Qi Guangbo was Ji Xuan’s first teacher. His reputation was faint across Jiuzhou, but he possessed the talent to bring order to the world.
Qi Guangbo hailed from a prominent Yunzhou family. In his youth, he practised martial arts and possessed extraordinary gifts. By the age of seventeen, he reached Bronze Skin and Iron Bones. For reasons unknown, he suddenly became extremely disillusioned with martial arts, describing it as:
Crude!
He immediately abandoned martial arts to pursue scholarship. At twenty-three, he gained the title of juren,1 but shook his head again, commenting on study:
Not to my liking!
Thus followed seven years of debauchery, eating, drinking, whoring, all manner of pleasures. He did what anyone might do, and even things people would not do.
His family could bear it no longer. Hoping to temper his character and set him on the right path, they sent him to join the army.
To their surprise, on the very first day, Qi Guangbo fell in love with military life, describing it with one word:
Interesting!
Thereafter, he distinguished himself repeatedly in campaigns against bandits, and was promoted twice within a year by the Yunzhou Commandery.
At that time, Xu Pingfeng had just achieved a small goal in his life, stealing the fortune of the Great Feng!
He was working towards his second goal: seeking talent and cultivating loyal followers.
Qi Guangbo soon attracted Xu Pingfeng’s notice. Xu Pingfeng did not immediately express an intention to recruit him, but first invited him to a tabletop war game.
The scenario was the War of Shanhai Pass five years ago, which had shaken all Jiuzhou and would surely leave a mark in history.
Xu Pingfeng commanded the forces of both the Great Feng and the Buddhist Kingdom, Qi Guangbo led the Church of the Warlock God, the yao clans of north and south, northern barbarians, and the shaman clans.
In their first attempt, Qi Guangbo lasted only an hour before being forced to defeat, cut off and out of options.
They agreed to meet again in half a month.
The second time, Qi Guangbo lasted four hours.
They made another agreement to duel again in three months.
A year later, Qi Guangbo held out until the final battle at Shanhai Pass, where he was ultimately defeated and failed to best Xu Pingfeng.
Only then did Xu Pingfeng say,
“It was not I who defeated you, but Wei Yuan.”
“Come with me to Qianlong City. Within twenty years, I will give you a chance to compete with him on the battlefield.”
Without hesitation, Qi Guangbo joined Qianlong City, and began fifteen years of devoted training.
Almost single-handedly, he formed the army Qianlong City had today, invented more than a dozen tactical systems, and under his reforms, the army shed its old inadequacies and became a true force of tigers and wolves.
Qi Guangbo drew in his reins and raised his head to the north, murmuring,
“The National Teacher lied to me.”
Wei Yuan was dead, what use was it, even if supreme command of the army were granted to him?
“What do you mean by that, sir?”
Ji Xuan was unaware of Qi Guangbo’s agreement with Xu Pingfeng all those years ago.
Qi Guangbo shook his head slightly and glanced at his student,
“Zisu, you are now beyond-mortal. Across all Jiuzhou, few at your age are beyond-mortal. This uprising today is also your opportunity to make your name known.”
“And what does sir think, how do I compare with Xu Ningyan?” Ji Xuan asked in a low voice.
Qi Guangbo said mildly, “Diligence makes up for lack of talent.”
Ji Xuan was stung by the words and gave a wry smile. “Sir, your speech is truly forthright and never shows mercy.”
Qi Guangbo countered, “And how do you think I compare with Wei Yuan?”
Ji Xuan gave no reply.
Qi Guangbo did not mind, his tone remaining calm:
“As the Art of War says, know yourself and know your enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles. Zisu, you must see yourself clearly to understand the situation.
“Xu Qi’an is stronger than you, whether in talent, strength, or means, on all counts, he surpasses you. Should you meet him one-on-one, you would die without doubt.
“But there is never absolute fairness in the world. Still, you have a chance. You have stepped onto the beyond-mortal path. Even if you cannot match him, being on the same level means there is still possibility.”
Ji Xuan nodded slowly. “Your student understands.”
Qi Guangbo did not reply, merely looked at the deputy by his side and ordered,
“All advance!”
The deputy relayed the command to the drummers with signalling flags. At once, the drums thundered and the ninety thousand strong army advanced in perfect order, crossing into Qingzhou territory.
At that moment, the wind rose in the sky and the clouds churned in a visible vortex, rapidly gathering into a vast hand that swept down toward the rebel army.
As this hand descended, it seemed to command the very power of heaven and earth.
The warhorses were panicked, the soldiers were terrified, and disorder swept through the ranks, especially among the militia at the rear, a rabble who, upon seeing such an apparition, went weak in the knees out of fright.
At this moment, above the ninety thousand strong army, formation after formation took shape, one layered over another, the great arrays encompassing the small, and the small composing the great.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Under the immense hand of cloud and mist, the formations were shattered one after another. Brilliant light burst overhead, like fireworks exploding above the army.
As the layers of formations broke, a golden radiance soared from within the army, manifesting as a golden figure with twelve pairs of arms, each holding a different instrument of law, a blazing halo of fire behind its head, and a red flame-shaped stamp at the centre of its brow.
This golden figure seemed like an ancient giant holding up the collapsed heavens, its twelve pairs of arms supporting the descending hand.
The two sides were locked in a stalemate for a moment. The immense hand of cloud and mist seemed to run out of strength, or perhaps was being overwhelmed in contention with the golden body. At last, it collapsed and dispersed.
Above the sea of clouds, a white and a golden figure soared by air and paused at a certain spot.
They were Xu Pingfeng and the Agaruka Bodhisattva, clad in a kasaya, his chest half-bare.
Xu Pingfeng, elegant and unrestrained, his white robes billowing, stood above the clouds like a banished immortal.
Agaruka Bodhisattva’s face was grave, his corded muscles radiated formidable strength, his halo of fire blazed behind him, bringing intense heat.
Just by standing there, his aura was as lofty as a mountain, as vast as the sea, a symbol of strength.
Opposite the two was the white-haired, white-bearded Jianzheng, holding an octagonal bronze plate. The reverse side of this plate was carved with the sun, moon, mountains and rivers, the front with the heavenly stems and earthly branches.
“Compared to the first generation five hundred years ago, your power falls far short,” Agaruka Bodhisattva observed the Jianzheng and commented blandly.
“Naturally!”
Xu Pingfeng’s smile was gentle. “In the days of the first generation, though there were foolish rulers and corrupt officials causing chaos beyond all bounds, the Great Feng’s foundations were intact and it was still at its peak. But the current Great Feng has lost half its fortune, then suffered first the eastern campaign led by Wei Yuan, followed by the catastrophic cold that swept the Central Plains.
“Teacher Jianzheng, I fear your power now is not even half what it was at your peak.”
The Jianzheng stirred the Heaven’s secrets disc expressionlessly and said slowly,
“It has been five hundred years since we fought in earnest, come, let us play.”
…
Chen Xiao once again saw Silver Gong Xu’s younger sister on the deck. She was standing in a horse stance, her little face extremely serious.
She looked rather cute.
With nothing better to do, Chen Xiao leaned against the cabin with his arms folded, watching from the side.
He watched for the better part of a quarter of an hour.
Impressive… Chen Xiao was taken aback. When he arrived, the child was already performing the horse stance, so she must have kept it up for more than a quarter hour. To be able to hold a horse stance at that age for so long showed an exceptionally solid martial arts foundation.
No wonder she was Silver Gong Xu’s sister, Chen Xiao thought.
He asked, “Has this child reached Refining Vitality?”
He was speaking to the Southern Marches girl who was munching on a cornbread bun nearby.
Lina glanced back at him. “Probably at Refining Qi stage.”
She was referring to combat ability. In the early stages of Strength Gu, there was no manifestation of qi, only brute strength.
What a load of nonsense! Chen Xiao, being straightforward, said in a low voice,
“A six- or seven-year-old at the Refining Qi stage? I’ve never seen that before. Silver Gong Xu was also steady in Refining Vitality, only breaking through to Refining Qi at nineteen.”
Lina carried on munching, replying, “She really is at Refining Qi stage. If you don’t believe me, try sparring with her.”
Chen Xiao immediately called over an ordinary soldier, who had just entered Refining Vitality. Since he had lost his virginity, Refining Vitality would be the peak of his martial journey.
“Go and give the child a try. Mind your strength, don’t hurt her,” Chen Xiao instructed.
“Yes, sir!”
The soldier looked helpless, he didn’t want to play with a child, but couldn’t refuse a superior’s order.
He strode over to Little Pea, patted his own belly, and said, “Come on, hit me here, kid.”
Little Pea glanced at his master. Lina nodded, “Win and you get a cornbread bun.”
Little Pea’s eyes lit up and she punched without hesitation.
Bang!
The soldier flew out, crashed into the cabin wall beside Chen Xiao, curled up on the floor clutching his stomach, and vomited up a bellyful of sour water.
!!! Chen Xiao was dumbfounded, his mouth agape for a long while.
“Amazing, let me try!”
Chen Xiao strode towards Xu Lingyin, intending to compare brute strength without using qi.
…
Xu Erlang was sitting at his desk, poring over a military manual while studying the map of Qingzhou.
Bang bang…
There was a knock at the door, and a soldier shouted from outside:
“Sir Xu, your little sister is fighting with the other lads.”
“What?”
Xu Erlang was shocked. He flung down his book and ran to the door, roaring, “What’s going on? Who dares bully my sister?”
The soldier said carefully, “Actually… it’s your sister who’s bullying everyone else.”
Xu Erlang strode out of the cabin and onto the deck.
Dozens of soldiers were lying about in disarray. Xu Lingyin stood alone, looking every inch an undefeated general on the battlefield.
“Ugh…”
A burly middle-aged officer was vomiting sour water as he struggled upright, shouting:
“Help me up, I can still fight!”
As the other soldiers held their stomachs and hauled at him, they pleaded earnestly,
“Boss, leave it alone. Any more and you’ll throw up your dinner too. She’s Silver Gong Xu’s sister, it’s not worth going all out.”
The middle-aged officer, clearly stubborn, shoved the men and yelled,
“I can still fight, I can still, ugh…”
Xu Cijiu stood at the cabin door, quietly covering his face.
…
In a village off the main road, the rising sun tinged the hills red. Li Miaozhen stood on a low wall, holding a bloody head, looking down at more than two hundred refugees turned bandits.
“Your leader is dead. Now you have two choices: follow me, and you’ll eat your fill and have wine to drink from now on. Or join your boss in the grave.”
She raised the head for emphasis, then took out an Earth Book fragment and poured out sack after sack of grain.
A bandit in coarse clothing boldly stepped forward to slit open a sack with a blunt sabre. Rice, still in its husk, spilled out.
“It’s rice, it’s rice!”
Cheers erupted.
“Lady hero, we’re willing to follow you!”
“You’ll be our new boss from now on!”
The refugees, now bandits, shouted eagerly.
For them, all that mattered was filling their bellies. They didn’t care who led, nor did they care whether they had to kill for it.
Killing and robbing was nothing more than a means to an end.
Those who rose to power and divided the land were not part of the masses in troubled times.
Li Miaozhen nodded with satisfaction.
“To be my subordinates, you must obey my rules. From today forward, you may not rob peasants or harm innocents.
“We only rob the rich and greedy merchants and corrupt officials who oppress the people.
“Break the rules, off with your head!”
…
In a stone cave in the Southern Marches,
“Uh~ah~”
Amid shrieks, Yeji’s whole body tensed, her enchanting face twisted slightly. After two hours of activity, all fell quiet.
Reunited lovers lay side by side on the bed, one basking in afterglow, the other entering sage mode.
“After all this time, Miss Fuxiang’s techniques are as impressive as ever,” praised Xu Qi’an.
Yeji pouted and chided,
“After all this time, why didn’t Silver Gong Xu perform his famous trick of falling asleep in three seconds?”
She still remembers that thing from our first meeting. Women indeed never let go of a grudge, Yao women are no exception… Xu Qi’an pulled a face,
“I didn’t know, then, that Miss Fuxiang was made of water… no, of spring rain.”
Yeji blinked. “What do you mean?”
Xu Qi’an embraced the beauty and waxed lyrical, “It comes from a poem, ‘in the palace street, fine drizzle falls soft as cream; afar the grass looks green but here none can be seen.’”
After a while, Yeji, now content, said,
“Let me help you bathe, Xu Lang.”
“No hurry, let me wage a few more rounds of bloody battle.”
The bed canopy began to sway, the thin covers rose and fell.
Outside in the cave, the little white fox squatted by the fire.
“Elder Baiji, why have you come out?” asked Hongying in surprise.
Baiji replied sweetly, “Sister Yeji said she had important business with Silver Gong Xu and chased me out. Actually, they’re mating and won’t let me watch.”
Miao Youfang stared, suddenly understanding why Li Lingsu and Xu Qi’an so disliked each other.
Those two both had lovers scattered across the land.
Hongying’s voice suddenly rose, “Mating? Elder Yeji and Silver Gong Xu…”
He was heartbroken, thinking Elder Yeji was trading her body for Xu Qi’an’s help.
Baiji, in her most childlike voice, uttered the filthiest words, “Back in the capital, Sister Yeji did this with Silver Gong Xu every day.”
So they’re old flames… Hongying realised, turning to Miao Youfang. “Brother Miao, what’s the story?”
How would I know? I wasn’t following him back then… Miao Youfang said, “It’s Silver Gong Xu’s private business. I can’t comment.”
…
In the bath, soaking in icy water, Xu Qi’an held a talisman and transmitted a message with his soul:
“National Teacher, it’s Xu Qi’an.”
We are your lifelong beloved Xu Lang.
After sending the message, Xu Qi’an felt rather complicated.
He recalled several personalities that had left deep psychological shadows, such as the lustful one who considered desire empty, or the yandere who was always ready with a sabre.
Second level imperial examination title, for passing the provincial-level exams. ↩
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