Taoist side branches
The highest respect for a warrior who is about to pass away is to fight him with all one's might and without reservation.
The blade that Li Chongyu unleashed at this moment, with all his might, was the pinnacle of his craft, forged through countless battles and a perfect fusion of his mind, will, and movement.
Because there is only one chance to strike.
Pei Yuanli was no longer capable of taking another blow from him.
From the moment he arrived at the square, he had been regulating his breathing and energy, conserving his strength, and focusing all his mental energy to unleash the full potential of his flesh and blood body. Yet, he could only block one of Li Chongyu's blows.
Fleeting moments, a meeting of life and death.
Though A Qiu retreated, the sound of his huqin (a type of reed pipe) lingered on his lips. It was the long wind that swept across the desolate border, the fierce and powerful sound of horses fleeing in the moonlight. Clashing swords and iron horses, life and death in an instant, blood and fire flashed by and disappeared into the darkness.
She used this song to bid farewell to Pei Yuanli, the foremost military strategist of the Southern Dynasties, on the final journey of his life.
Pei Yuanli held his spear horizontally in front of him, and in an instant, he used exquisite techniques such as coiling, twisting, and turning, creating thousands of black shadows on the tip of the spear.
For a moment, it seemed that the entire atmosphere of the world was being stirred up like a raging storm.
Li Chongyu's Sky-Splitting Blade, however, moved like lightning that cleaved across the sky, striking directly in front of him without hesitation.
Pei Yuanli shouted "Good!" and at the same time, he crossed his right hand from behind his left, and suddenly spat out the spear from his waist.
All his previous preparations were to build up his strength for that final strike.
This is the "Returning Dragon Spear," a weapon that the Pei family used to amaze on the battlefield, gain fame on horseback, and repeatedly dealt heavy blows to their enemies, making it impossible for them to defend against.
The long spear, imbued with astonishing internal force, was unleashed to meet the Sky-Splitting Blade that Li Chongyu had cleaved with all his might.
A bright light shone, and the ear-piercing clang of metal clashing continued incessantly.
A Qiu stood still, while the sound of the Hu Jia (a type of reed pipe) drifted far and wide, returning to the moonlit night of Chang'an, where people were washing clothes.
Under the clear moonlight, a beautiful woman leans alone against a high tower. Is she filled with regret for having urged her husband to seek fame and fortune, or is she filled with loneliness and melancholy knowing what the rest of her life will be like, rising alone in the middle of the night?
Pei Yuanli would never see again. He felt the blood mist explode before his eyes, and he could no longer see anything. He still forced himself to stand tall like a mountain, facing north, and recited each word aloud.
"The barbarian cavalry galloped north of Ji, and short-range combat met south of the city. The two armies clashed like clouds, and the swords gathered like the Seven Stars. The flags crossed without a trace, and the horns' angry sounds lingered. After the battle, I unfolded the military strategy and sighed for Li Shaoqing."
The Hu Jia (a type of reed pipe instrument) sounds like weeping and lamenting, gradually fading and slowing down, conveying sorrow and also deeply expressing remembrance and reverence for heroes and famous generals.
Li Chongyu drew his sword swiftly, then quickly sheathed it. He turned and gazed in the same direction as Pei Yuanli, exclaiming with admiration, "What a fine reed pipe! What a beautiful melody! It stirs up feelings of homesickness!"
With a loud crash, Pei Yuanli's Dragon Returning Spear clattered to the ground, and at the same time, his body fell heavily to the ground.
The night sky is clear and vast, just as it was at the beginning, while the eternal moon shines brightly atop the palace tower.
The moment Pei Yuanli's body hit the ground, a horn suddenly sounded from a corner of the square. The sound was not loud, but soon echoes of horns resounded throughout the palace, carrying far and wide, quickly becoming a continuous and undulating sound of mourning.
A-Qiu stopped playing the huqin at the last note and quickly looked around.
She had personally witnessed that the Star-Picking Tower, where the Grand Eunuch Rong Yu resided, offered a panoramic view and could monitor all movements within the palace. Furthermore, the palace's corner towers and watchtowers were undoubtedly under constant surveillance. Tonight, Pei Yuanli and Li Chongyu's open duel here, whether overt or covert, was certainly being closely watched by everyone.
The outcome, once revealed, will undoubtedly spread throughout the palace immediately.
Shangguan Yuqi said in a deep voice, "My lord, you should leave the palace and the city immediately. From now on, you will face the full force of Jianzhang Shi and Pei Yu's pursuit."
Blood feuds run deep, and personal grudges are settled privately. Even Emperor Xie Lang cannot say anything against Pei Yu. Moreover, Pei Yu must now have the combined forces of the Divine Hound Camp and the Jianzhang Army, ensuring that Li Chongyu cannot return to the north.
Li Chongyu's eyes shone like lightning as he said nonchalantly, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I, Li, have never been afraid of coming here. This tiny place, Jianzhang, cannot hold me."
Shangguan Yuqi frowned and turned to A Qiu, saying, "You are the successor of the Junior Master, so you can use the Junior Master's token to gather the Junior Master's charioteers and escort the Marquis out of the city. I need to return to the Jixian Palace to report the results and see if the Imperial Guards can control the situation in the palace."
A Qiu knew perfectly well that the Jianzhang Army's southern camp was currently under the command of the Grand Commander "Silver Saddle White Horse" Sikong Zhao, while the northern camp had been hastily suppressed by Crown Prince Xie Tiao and her senior brother Gongyi Xiu, and whether they would succeed was still unknown.
Shangguan Yuqi was eager to return immediately because she was worried about any disturbances in the palace. Given the past relationship between Feifeng and Emperor Xie Lang, and their sworn brotherhood, Mu Huaying shouldn't have been inclined to rebel. However, if she wanted to control Xie Lang and the officials, and then pursue Li Chongyu with all her might, it was entirely possible. The other Feifeng members might also stand idly by in this situation.
As the current head of the Flying Phoenix Army, Shangguan Yuqi had actually served in various military units throughout the capital. Her rescue of Aqiu in the West Market was a chance encounter while she was leading the city guards on patrol. The Imperial Guards were originally under the command of Sikong Zhao, but he was currently absent. She now intended to use her experience and the Shangguan family's prestige to see if she could command this army, stabilize the situation in the Empress's palace, and ensure the safety of the Emperor and the imperial court.
Historically, military operations have been like playing with fire. If everything is under control, all is well. When Pei Yuanli was alive, there was no problem. Now that Pei Yuanli is dead, Mu Huaying and Pei Yu's original intention was simply revenge. However, if the two of them cannot fully control the Jianzhang Army, or if there are treacherous individuals stirring things up, the consequences could be dire.
Li Chongyu looked at Shangguan Yuqi as if he were seeing her for the first time, and said indifferently, "The previous generation of Flying Phoenix Guards probably wish they could eat my flesh and sleep on my skin right now, but Miss Shangguan, as the current generation of Flying Phoenix Guard, seems to be doing her best to protect me. May I ask why the two generations have such different stances?"
Shangguan Yuqi gazed at the lights gradually illuminating the nearby and distant pavilions and replied, “Feifeng has always been united in heart and mind, advancing and retreating together. When Mu Tingwei was forced into retirement, Pei Gong generously took her in and cared for her for the rest of her life, which shows that he has been kind to everyone in Feifeng. How can we sit idly by and watch our benefactor be killed? As for why I defended Brother Li, firstly, it is to do my part to fulfill Uncle Thirteen's last wish, and secondly, because Brother Li is the key to the future peace of the Han people, and I am unwilling to disregard the world for the sake of one person’s revenge.”
Li Chongyu's eyes lit up with a strange light, and he said, "The former Grand Chancellor... he mentioned me?"
Shangguan Yuqi said calmly, "The Li family's son is thirteen years old, a strong and brave young man, well-versed in military strategy, and capable of forbearance. Since Heaven has not forsaken him, Lord Mingyuan will have no regrets in the afterlife, and our Han people will also have a Great Wall in the north!"
Shangguan Yuqi had never met Li Chongyu before, so this comment could not possibly be her evaluation of Li Chongyu.
The only explanation could be that she heard it from her uncle, Shangguan Jin, when she was practicing swordsmanship in the forbidden area.
Whether in the South or the North, in the eyes of enemies or friends, Shangguan Jin was already an invincible commander, a peerless war god, who could conquer all. To receive his evaluation, even though it came many years late, and even though Li Chongyu was no longer the spirited young man he once was, still stirred his emotions.
His expression shifted, tears welling in his eyes, and he suddenly roared, "Good! Even just for this one sentence from the former Grand Secretary, my trip has not been in vain!"
He immediately stood up, slung the Sky-Splitting Blade behind his back, and said with a flourish, "Miss Shangguan, we part today. I hope we will meet again on the battlefield in the future, where we will still be allies!"
Only now did a hint of a smile appear in Shangguan Yuqi's melancholy eyes. She didn't answer, but instead said to A Qiu, "Protect General Chongyu well."
A Qiu nodded in agreement. Seeing Li Chongyu's figure already flying away, she paused slightly, then grabbed Shangguan Yuqi's sleeve and said, "Miss, please be careful too!"
Shangguan Yuqi was taken aback at first, then smiled slightly and said softly, "Take care!"
Only then did A Qiu let go and chase after Li Chongyu.
She caught up with Li Chongyu in no time. This was because Li Chongyu was also waiting for her and was not walking fast.
Only when A-Qiu stood beside him did he ask, "Will your accompanying me and protecting me out of the city hinder your future?"
A-Qiu already knew that this sworn brother was bold yet meticulous, and that he had not spoken a single word to her in front of others, precisely to avoid any suspicion.
She thought for a moment and then answered decisively, "No, because I am Gu Yi's apprentice."
Li Chongyu thought for a moment and then chuckled, “That’s true. The successor of the Young Master naturally has a transcendent significance. No matter which faction in the court, or what their purpose, they cannot attack the Young Master.”
A Qiu was puzzled and casually asked, "Why don't they criticize my master or question his stance?"
Li Chongyu looked at her with a surprised expression and replied, "Sister, you have taken Gu Yi as your master, but do you not know about your sect's lineage? No one, whether in the imperial court or the martial arts world, will doubt the intentions of the Ghost Valley disciples."
But as soon as he spoke, he realized he had spoken out of turn and covered it up by saying, "Since the young master didn't tell you, he probably didn't want to pass on the mission of the Ghost Valley successor to you, but only wanted to pass on something else to you. In other words, you are Gu Yi's disciple, but you are not necessarily the successor of Ghost Valley. So, just pretend I didn't say anything."
A Qiu repeated the words "disciple of Guigu" several times, but she had never heard of this sect in the martial arts world. Recalling the circumstances when Gu Yi took her as his disciple, he mainly thought that she had lost her martial arts and could not protect herself, so he decided to take her into his sect and let her be under his protection. He did not make any demands on her or impose any mission on her as a disciple.
Therefore, Gu Yi most likely only accepted her as a disciple, but had no intention of having her inherit his sect.
She couldn't help but ask, "I've grown up in the martial world since I was a child, so why have I never heard of the Ghost Valley sect?"
Li Chongyu laughed and said, "That's because Guigu is not a martial arts sect. Have you ever heard of Guiguzi from the Warring States period?"
A Qiu said, "Of course I've heard of that. During the Hundred Schools of Thought period, Guigu was one of them. It was a branch of Taoism and was skilled in the art of worldly affairs. It is said that the military strategies of Sun Bin and Pang Juan, and the diplomatic strategies of Su Qin and Zhang Yi, all came from his school."
As Li Chongyu walked, he said, "This is the lineage of the Young Master's school, but not many people in the martial arts world know about it. This is because there is usually only one successor in each generation of the Ghost Valley School, and there may even be only one successor for several generations. He moves among the feudal lords, nobles, and powerful figures, devising strategies for governing the world. I'm afraid that not many people in your Southern Dynasty government know about it either. But your Emperor Xie Lang certainly does."
A Qiu suddenly recalled a saying circulating among the people of the Southern Dynasties: Gu Yi had no origins, and it was difficult to determine his age. Everyone only knew that he quelled the palace rebellion with a three-foot-long carved moon during a great fire at the end of the Huan Dynasty, thus stabilizing the Southern Dynasties, but no one knew his background or origins.
Some say he is a hermit of Zhongnan Mountain, others say he is a reclusive sage, but no one knows the truth.
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