Chapter 1149: Going Home

His words echoed through the mountains, stirring the surging wood qi. The True Man of the Cheng clan stood up, gritting his teeth, and said:

"It's irreversible now. I've seen it clearly: the overall trend between North and South ultimately requires such a sharp sword. As for where that cultivation method came from and who provided it, I presume the King of Wei already has the answer..."

He stepped back, bowed deeply, and prostrated himself on the ground, sighing:

"If there's an opportunity... I implore the King of Wei, for the sake of our past acquaintance... to lend a helping hand!"

Li Zhouwei stood with his hands behind his back, muttering:

"The Mahā of the Sea of Desire, Tianlang Zhi."

His heart was heavy, and various thoughts intertwined.

Earlier, he had thought this Sword Immortal Lingmei was from his own family branch. Now knowing he wasn't, Li Zhouwei still remembered the favor Lingmei had done for him. He also understood how difficult it would be for this Sword Immortal to avenge such a deep-seated blood feud given the current situation.

'The Great Path of Desire... it's currently at its peak! In the eyes of the Underworld, it's truly an excellent sword...'

He raised an eyebrow and asked:

"What is Tianlang Zhi's background?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Jiuwen looked up, his eyes slightly red, and whispered:

"He was originally an immortal cultivator, practicing the Path of Jade Truth, and inherited the ancient tradition of Tianlang Terrace, possessing some sword arts. Later, he joined the Buddhist Path... Now... he has been reincarnated at least seven times, very likely already an Eighth Incarnation Mahā!"

Li Zhouwei frowned.

Eighth Incarnation Mahā!

Within the Buddhist cultivation system, a Ninth Incarnation Mahā can enter the Candana Grove, presiding over various Dharmakayas and ready to inherit a Dharmakaya position. An Eighth Incarnation is already the highest combat power in the Buddhist Path, suppressed only by those with perfected divine abilities!

He wondered what state Lingmei would be in after his breakthrough. However, using the newly refined fourth divine ability to slay this demon would be incredibly difficult, not to mention the burgeoning Peacock behind the opponent! Yet, holding a sword means moving forward, not retreating, and it also involves inner demons; the consequences might be even graver...

'No wonder Cheng Jiuwen didn't dare let him break through...'

While Cheng Jiuwen's mind was fixated on Lingmei's path to death, Li Zhouwei caught onto two extremely sensitive orthodoxies.

'Geng and Dui!'

These two ever-changing orthodoxies in the world not only represent two paths of Metal Virtue but are also the exclusive domain of that lord of the Golden Path. Lingmei is not just a Sword Immortal; he is also a Great True Man with a sensitive identity!

The successor of True Lord Taiyu from back then!

Furthermore, True Lord Taiyu's demise directly implicated that True Lord of the Golden Path!

A mix of shock and cold light flickered in his eyes as he softly asked:

"Senior Lingmei, which Geng Metal divine ability does he cultivate?"

Cheng Jiuwen shook his head slowly, but then heard three faint words carried by the mountain wind:

"Discarding the Old."

The mountain wind blew coldly. Their conversation instantly fell silent. Cheng Jiuwen's mournful expression faded, while Li Zhouwei turned, his golden eyes gazing down from above. He saw a chilling wind in the mountains, out of which emerged a man in black.

The man had an ordinary appearance, with a seal hanging from his waist. His expression was complex, and he spoke hoarsely:

"Greetings, King of Wei."

Yang Ruiyi.

Clearly, Li Zhouwei's ostentatious stop at Jianmen had instantly spread news across the North and South. How could Yang Ruiyi not know?

His complex gaze shifted slightly, landing on the dark pine, and he whispered:

"Circumstances demanded urgency; there was no intention to disturb you, senior."

A gentle breeze seemed to pass, making the dark pine sway for a moment. There was no verbal response, only Cheng Jiuwen's shocked expression. He wasn't surprised by Yang Ruiyi's appearance; after all, besides Tingzhou, the Great General had long since granted access to the outer formations of several Purple Mansion grand arrays in Song. What truly astonished him was the name of that divine ability!

'Discarding the Old!'

Cheng Jiuwen was also a Dui Metal cultivator; Geng and Dui were similar. How could he not recognize this divine ability? Startled and horrified, he disregarded everything else, stood up, and murmured:

'Revolutionizing the World!'

His face a mix of sorrow and joy, he gritted his teeth and replied:

"This... this was taught to him by the General?!"

Compared to the complexity he felt facing Li Zhouwei, Yang Ruiyi's brows were calm as he stared at Cheng Jiuwen, his voice indifferent:

"This was inevitable... and it was also Cheng Xunzhi's own choice. He is a prominent figure at the mid-stage of Purple Mansion; could he have had no inkling at all? When wielding his sword and qi, his prowess surpassed ordinary people, reaching a point that even Duelin was astonished. Could he have had no suspicion whatsoever?"

His gaze fixed on Cheng Jiuwen:

"You also know that he studied the 'Sun-Standing Sword of Pure Yang, Governing Xin with a Single Qi' day and night, contemplating it extensively, becoming extremely familiar with it, yet he couldn't ascertain its wielder... How could he not be suspicious!"

"Therefore, it is 'Discarding the Old'."

Cheng Jiuwen stood rooted, his eyes filled with doubt, staring blankly at Yang Ruiyi. The Great General took a step forward and praised:

"'Discarding the old and establishing the new.' That's what Shangqing did back then; he was willing to abandon his status as a Gujun noble to embrace a spirit of renewal. This is most suitable for him."

Cheng Jiuwen remained motionless, his gaze downcast, seemingly full of unspoken words. He stayed there for a long time, and the serene, elegant peak of Jianmen Mountain became quiet once more.

Yang Ruiyi shifted his gaze, finally having to meet those golden eyes.

This King of Wei, sitting calmly on the mountaintop, clearly wasn't here for a casual visit to Jianmen. His actions were overtly intentional, immediately putting the Yang clan in a difficult position.

If any other True Man from Jiangnan were in the King of Wei's situation, they would merely resent Qi Lanyan within the larger scheme, with no chance to question decisions, and wouldn't even find the underlying compromises unusual. But he was different.

Yang Ruiyi had considered that the King of Wei might be furious, that Tingzhou would need compensation after this war, or even that Li Zhouwei might march his troops into Baijiang, exchanging crisis for opportunity... He had even considered the slight possibility that Li Zhouwei, sensing something, would refuse to obey the decree and come to Shanji for negotiations.

But Li Zhouwei had displayed his divine ability at Jianmen, signaling to both North and South.

'He did this for Qi Lanyan to see.'

Qi Lanyan's objective was to exploit Tingzhou's vulnerable position, which had to be defended, and the Underworld's desire to harm Mingyang's interests, thereby inflicting heavy losses on Li Zhouwei. However, Li Zhouwei had cast aside Tingzhou like trash, ignored all of the Yang clan's summons, and announced his presence at Jianmen to the whole world. This forced Qi Lanyan to choose between Tingzhou and Li Zhouwei!

Yang Ruiyi himself also faced a similar choice!

As long as Li Zhouwei displayed his divine ability at Jianmen, Yang Ruiyi would have no choice but to let him participate in the battle at Shanji. His implicit understanding with Qi Lanyan was limited. If Li Zhouwei were to retreat to Tingzhou, which was not under martial law at that time, and without Li Zhouwei, Qi Lanyan's full assault on Shanji would inevitably result in failure or worse.

Yang Ruiyi raised his eyebrows, staring at those golden eyes, whose coldness was evident, as if warning him.

'He doesn't care what happens to Tingzhou. He wants to decide where the North-South war will be fought, he wants to determine the direction of the North and South, and he wants to force Guan Hua and Great Song to fight an unprecedented, real battle at Baihai!'

He sighed deeply, his subtle premonition finally coming true—he just hadn't expected Li Zhouwei to instantly shed his past docile facade, outmaneuver him, and corner Qi Lanyan. Nor had he expected things to happen so quickly.

The Great General of Song felt a heavy burden on his heart, momentarily unsure how to speak.

But as he remained silent, the King of Wei stood up. His figure wasn't overly tall—broad-shouldered and slender-waisted—yet he cast a shadow, with only his golden eyes glinting in the dim light:

"Great General!"

The three words cut short, sending a chill down Yang Ruiyi's spine. He stepped forward with a forced smile, but the King of Wei didn't look at him, instead staring at the cup in his hand, and said indifferently:

"Now, the only option is for the greater good to be sacrificed for this King!"

Yang Ruiyi's heart jolted. Gazing at those piercing golden eyes, the ominous premonition in his mind finally came true.

'Qi Lanyan calculated the Underworld's interests precisely. He seemed to have given the decision-making power to my Yang clan, but in reality, he didn't give me the right to choose. Wasn't that also a form of—sowing discord?'

Now, Li Zhouwei's displayed divine ability had, on behalf of the Yang clan, thrown the problem back. But could Yang Ruiyi claim it was the Underworld's tacit approval? Could he push the responsibility onto those high-ranking figures?

Although the cultivators of Jiangnan were largely ignorant, both parties present were astute. As long as Li Zhouwei understood the full story and refused to be a sacrifice for the Underworld's interests, the truth would be revealed, and only Yang Ruiyi would be seen as colluding with Qi Lanyan!

He exhaled deeply, forcing himself to remain calm. Without further excuses, he said politely:

"I am willing to have the cultivators guard Tingzhou."

Li Zhouwei's golden eyes watched him, and he said quietly:

"The Great General, being knowledgeable about the Northern cultivators' forces, will surely be able to protect Tingzhou well."

Yang Ruiyi lowered his brows, understanding the unspoken implication, and fell silent abruptly.

Li Zhouwei watched Yang Ruiyi silently.

He dared to come to Jianmen alone, and not without confidence!

By establishing Mingyang at Jianmen, he was actually conveying another meaning to Qi Lanyan: regardless of whether the Yang clan had previously plotted against the Li clan, with Mingyang standing firm, a showdown between Yang and Li was inevitable.

'Wang Ziya cannot cross the river; he can only provide support for Qi Lanyan in Jianghuai. Yang Ruiyi... he knows the Northern deployment... but Qi Lanyan is unaware of the Southern strategy under the veil of Banished Qi.'

Once the Yang and Li clans revealed their cards, it would be impossible for Qi Lanyan to proceed to Tingzhou. Great Song would not allow him to destroy Tingzhou under these circumstances. For every person he had in Baijiang, Yang Ruiyi would deploy an equal number to counter, and might even personally take charge. With Li Zhouwei also at Shanji, the unguarded Baihai would be open for Li Zhouwei to advance at will!

This ran counter to Qi Lanyan's original intention—it would be better to fight a grand battle at Baihai, where there would still be opportunities to target him amidst the chaos!

'From this moment on, there is only one possibility between Song and Zhao: a major battle at Baihai!'

Of course, even if Li Zhouwei had Qi Lanyan completely cornered, he couldn't put all his hopes on the man simply caving in. He averted his golden eyes and said:

"This King will guard Xianhu."

'This is a wavering choice for Qi Lanyan, but not difficult for me to handle. Not only Yang Ruiyi knows the situation in the North, but also Cha You!'

As long as Li Zhouwei guarded Xianhu, seizing the geographical advantage and overlooking the situation, the entire intricate scenario would be clear to him. Meanwhile, Li Jiangqian, guarding the river, would also be able to observe the Baijiang deployment, preventing the unlikely possibility of Qi Lanyan, in a fit of rage, purely trying to spite him.

With this dual assurance, he could even supervise Yang Ruiyi's dispositions on the lake!

Yang Ruiyi heard this and understood that Li Zhouwei wanted to constantly remind Qi Lanyan of his presence in the east. He clasped his hands as a matter of course and said:

"As my lord wishes."

As his words fell, the King of Wei vanished like smoke, transforming into shimmering rays of light. Yang Ruiyi, with a complex expression, watched him go, his gaze falling upon the sparkling lake to the north.

A celestial gate, brilliant and luminous, densely covered with arcane patterns, was rising majestically!

This caused Yang Ruiyi to close his eyes, his lips moving slightly. But then he heard a soft thud; Cheng Jiuwen before him had already prostrated himself on the ground, his eyes complex, and he murmured faintly:

"Saints of the Underworld, their actions like dragons, bringing peace to the world. We minor cultivators, we can only obey, willing to be your treasured swords... I only hope... only hope! That there will be a time for the long blade to return to its sheath!"

This usually cold and stern True Man of Jianmen sensed an extremely dangerous aura and unhesitatingly prostrated himself before him. Yang Ruiyi, still immersed in the worry of the situation spiraling out of control, looked at him and felt a touch of pity, a sense of shared misfortune.

'A time for the long blade to return to its sheath... how many can return to their sheath? Me? Cheng Xunzhi? Li Zhouwei? Or even... the sovereign?'

However, the Yang clan's imperial descendant, the direct lineage of the Underworld, remained silent. He took a step back and vanished like mist, leaving only Cheng Jiuwen to straighten up and kneel on the ground, his gaze icy.

Clang!

A clear, bright clang resonated in the night sky. The Daoist on the mountaintop quietly held a bronze bell in his hand, his expression calm. Not far away, a celestial gate stood on the lake, its heavenly light reflected in his pupils.

'Too bad it's Xianhu, not Wangyue Lake.'

He gazed at the hazy celestial light, as if seeing through the veiled white a pair of cold golden eyes, without a trace of hesitation or pity, abandoning the great lake that nourished him, his ambitious, fierce eyes like those of a wolf or tiger, fixed on the vast lands of Jianghuai.

A hint of emotion entered his gaze, but he could discern no trace of the divine ability's color from the south. His disciple, silent for a moment, then spoke with trepidation:

"Master... the reinforcements from Baijiang..."

Perhaps Wang Ziya sighed and shook his head nearby, or perhaps Qi Lanyan's mindset had completely shifted. He did not get angry, but said calmly:

"Return for now."

Fan Kang, as if granted a great pardon, quickly descended. Wang Ziya, standing with his hands behind his back, said faintly:

"A quick response indeed."

Qi Lanyan showed no remorse, but his gaze was calm as he said:

"He is Li Zhouwei."

Wang Ziya frowned and said:

"What a pity..."

"No pity."

Qi Lanyan stared distantly at the riverbank and said:

"I've said it before: if he's in Baiye, I'll fight him in Baiye; if he's in Baijiang, I'll fight him in Baijiang. Now that he's in Xianhu, I'll fight him there without hesitation. It's nothing more than a battle unprecedented in five hundred years. At least for now, I can still suppress him."

"Moreover..."

He suddenly smiled, the silk sash at his waist gently fluttering, gathering streaks of immortal light:

"This matter won't leave no trace. At the very least, the Underworld's attitude will bear marks. If there's a first time, there will be a second. Once trust is broken, it cannot be salvaged."

"He might not be unaware of the Underworld's malicious intentions."

Listening to his martial uncle's words, Qi Lanyan said:

"The key isn't that he understands; it's that the Underworld knows he understands. The Underworld's stance on Li Qianyuan is unified, but their stance on him is ambiguous. However, for those lords, if there's suspicion, it's treated as guilt. Their aim is to make them suspicious."

Wang Ziya took a breath, watching Qi Lanyan straighten up, his eyes sharp and bright, fixed intently on the myriad celestial lights soaring into the sky above the lake:

"As for now... let's wait and see."