Inside the stone door, the old man’s voice carried a hint of amusement:
“First, we need to understand what the current Jian Zheng is planning. The first-generation Jian Zheng didn’t kill you because he wanted to steal your fortune. If you died, the fortune would return to Da Feng. That’s what the person called Ji Qian said, right?”
Xu Qi An nodded.
The old man continued, “But there’s a flaw in this explanation. If that were the case, the current Jian Zheng could simply kill you to thwart the other’s scheme.”
Xu Qi An made a sound of agreement. “So, the current Jian Zheng must have other motives, or Ji Qian’s understanding is incorrect.”
The old man praised, “You’re indeed a person of great wisdom. We are warriors, and with a warrior’s temperament, we wouldn’t hesitate in such a situation – we’d simply flip the table.”
“What if we can’t flip it?” Xu Qi An asked in a deep voice.
“Then accumulate power and survive in the cracks for now. No matter how strong the two generations of Jian Zheng are, one fact remains: the fortune is within you. It’s your strength, it will become your support. This is a fact that even Jian Zheng can’t change. You’re a smart person; you should understand my meaning.”
“In the process of accumulating power, I wonder if you’ll be there, senior?” Xu Qi An smiled.
The old man was silent for a moment, then chuckled, “You came to the Quanrong Mountain feast for this, didn’t you?”
Xu Qi An nodded, then shook his head. “It’s just a stroke of luck. As it happens, I’m full of luck.”
The old man laughed, “Very well. If you can find me a nine-colored lotus root, I’ll lend you a hand!”
Xu Qi An pondered, “Would a small piece be enough?”
The old man countered, “Can a small piece of lotus root help me advance to the Lianqi Rank?”
It seems he wants the whole lotus root, or at least most of it. In that case, the lotus root I have is useless… And the nine-colored lotus root is a treasure of the Earth Sect. Daoist Jin Lian certainly won’t give it to me. No need to even consider that.
“Is there anything else that could substitute?” Xu Qi An didn’t dwell on the lotus root.
“Perhaps!” the old man said.
After a moment of silence, Xu Qi An asked, “Have you ever met the Jian Zheng from five hundred years ago?”
“I have!”
The old man gave an affirmative answer, then laughed, “At that time, he hadn’t yet created the sorcerer system. Interestingly, that fellow was a beautiful young man back then, just like the young man you brought up the mountain.
“He was inseparable from Da Feng’s founding emperor, extremely intelligent, valued loyalty, and kept his word, but was somewhat stubborn. Oh, and they shared the same aspiration – they didn’t seek immortality.”
Listening to this, Xu Qi An couldn’t help but think, The way you describe it, it sounds like the first-generation and the founding emperor were quite intimate…
Beautiful like a woman, valuing loyalty and keeping his word, stubborn, not seeking immortality!
He silently noted these key points and bowed with clasped hands. “If there’s nothing else, senior, this junior will take his leave.”
From behind, the old man’s voice came: “Have you figured out how to escape the impending misfortune that awaits you?”
“Just wait and see, senior. Perhaps before long, Constable Xu will become history. Or perhaps, he will do something that shocks the Nine Provinces.” Xu Qi An replied without turning back.
“I look forward to it,” the old man laughed.
…
Emerging from the back mountain, golden-red sunlight bathed the mountaintop. He walked towards his courtyard. By now, Cao Qingyang had dismissed his followers and was waiting at the courtyard entrance with Yang Cui Xue and other Fourth-Rank experts.
“What did the ancestor say to you?”
“Constable Xu, what was that blade aura about earlier…”
“Constable Xu, can I take a look at your sword?”
The sect leaders and gang leaders swarmed around him.
Madam Xiao Yuenu of the Wanhua House, wrapped in a pink robe, stood aside demurely without speaking, but her naturally enchanting eyes quietly gazed at Xu Qi An, full of expectation.
“What the senior told me is confidential and can’t be shared with outsiders. As for this…”
Xu Qi An took the Taiping Blade from his waist, stood it on the ground, and said with raised eyebrows and a smile, “Whoever can pull it out is welcome to try.”
“It’s just a blade.”
A Fourth-Rank gang leader who used a blade walked forward with eager eyes, rubbed his hands, gripped the handle, and pulled hard.
It didn’t budge.
He tried again with more force.
Still nothing.
The crowd looked on in surprise and gathered around.
“Move aside, move aside.”
The gang leader shooed the crowd away, feeling somewhat embarrassed. His arm muscles bulged as his energy exploded.
Clang!
The Taiping Blade was forcibly pulled from its sheath.
The next moment, the gang leader retracted his hand as if electrocuted, his palm stinging intensely.
The Taiping Blade seemed somewhat annoyed. Its edge turned, aimed at the gang leader, and swooshed towards him.
Man and blade began a chase.
“A… a peerless divine weapon…”
“This blade is a peerless divine weapon? How come we didn’t sense it before?”
“Divine weapons have spirits. Only the owner can draw it, only the owner can use it. Old Sun forcibly drew the blade and angered it.”
The crowd was dumbfounded, their eyes wide with disbelief. They never imagined that Constable Xu’s blade was a peerless divine weapon. Although they had just witnessed the natural phenomenon, no one had connected it to the blade, all thinking that Constable Xu had some sort of epiphany.
These Fourth-Rank martial artists, one and all, looked at the Taiping Blade with covetous expressions.
A peerless divine weapon, ah.
This was a weapon above magical tools, each peerless divine weapon had its independent consciousness, to a certain extent transcending the category of weapons.
More like a companion.
At the same time, a peerless divine weapon could accumulate a blade aura on its own and engage enemies by itself.
To use Xu Qi An’s words from his previous life: I’m already a mature weapon, I can fight on my own.
For wandering cultivators in the martial world, a magical tool could be passed down as a family heirloom, from father to son, from son to grandson. For a martial arts organization, a peerless divine weapon could serve as a sect’s treasure.
Above peerless divine weapons were magical treasures.
The distinction between peerless divine weapons and magical treasures wasn’t in their attacking power but in their special nature and uniqueness.
The Taiping Blade was a weapon with a single function, so it was a peerless divine weapon, not a magical treasure.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword was both a peerless divine weapon and a magical treasure because it could suppress a nation’s fortune – this was what set it apart.
Another example was the Earth Book fragment. Currently, it only has two functions: transmitting messages and storing items.
But these weren’t the true functions of the “Earth Book,” just the functions of the fragment.
Golden Lotus Daoist had never told the fragment holders what miraculous abilities the complete Earth Book possessed.
To think Constable Xu had a peerless divine weapon…
“Come back,” Xu Qi An said calmly.
The Taiping Blade, like a disobedient husky, chased and slashed at Gang Leader Sun for a while longer before reluctantly returning to Xu Qi An’s side, circling him.
“Its spirit has just awakened and has great room for growth. In the future, you should nurture it more with your energy, and it’s best if you can use it to cultivate your intent. It will gradually transform,” Cao Qingyang said, his eyes flashing with envy.
The Martial Alliance had many magical tools, but not a single peerless divine weapon.
Moreover, he cultivated blade intent, which perfectly matched his needs. Even as the Alliance Leader, he couldn’t maintain his composure.
At this moment, Xiao Yuenu said softly, “I’ve heard that peerless divine weapons need to be given names, and the name has an inseparable meaning with the blade. I wonder what Constable Xu calls this blade?”
Yang Cui Xue and others immediately looked at Xu Qi An.
“Madam Xiao is indeed knowledgeable.”
Xu Qi An gripped the handle and tapped the blade’s spine, saying, “The blade is named Taiping, meaning great peace. If there’s injustice, it will be there to cut it down.”
Everyone showed respectful awe.
Great peace under heaven, cutting down all injustice… Xiao Yuenu’s expression momentarily became distant, looking at Xu Qi An with a somewhat complex expression.
…
After lunch, Xu Qi An and Nangong Qian Rou bid farewell to the Martial Alliance members. They mounted two horses and leisurely set off on the official road.
“Nangong, you’re more experienced than me. Have you ever heard of Xu Province?”
“Never,” Nangong Qian Rou replied flatly.
Answering so quickly, clearly without sincerity… Xu Qi An inwardly complained. The two rode on the official road for a long time, never seeing Li Miao Zhen and Chu Yuan Zhen return.
Did these two forget about me? Riding back to the capital would take me half a month. How can that compare to flying swords… Xu Qi An planned to fly back using his invisible wings.
So he said, “Riding is too slow. Why don’t we fly back?”
Nangong Qian Rou sneered, “That broken blade of yours can’t carry people.”
Don’t underestimate me. In front of the beautiful Nangong, Xu Qi An took out the Confucian magic spell book, tore off a page, and lit it with a shake of his hand. “I have a pair of invisible wings.”
Nangong Qian Rou sensed the air around them ripple, faintly hearing the sound of flapping wings as if a pair of wings had suddenly unfurled.
“Why don’t you just teleport? For example, say: The place where I am is at the capital’s city gate,” Nangong Qian Rou hesitated before offering her suggestion.
“It’s not that I’m not smart enough. Summoning a pair of wings will at most give me a stiff neck for a few days. But if we do as you say, we could indeed return to the capital instantly, but then my clan members would have to come to my house for dinner again,” Xu Qi An joked self-deprecatingly.
He grabbed Nangong Qian Rou’s shoulder and soared into the sky.
The two flew with intermittent stops, finally reaching the premier city of the Central Plains on the second morning.
Xu Qi An’s neck was inevitably stiff, and he had to look at people sideways.
It would be improper to meet Wei Yuan in this state, so Xu Qi An planned to go home and rest for a day before playing truth or dare with Wei Yuan tomorrow.
Just as he returned home, Xu Ling Yin came rushing over excitedly, saying, “Big brother, big brother…”
Seeing Xu Qi’an empty-handed, her enthusiasm diminished by half.
Xu Ling Yin tilted her head and asked, “Big brother, didn’t you bring any gifts back? You used to bring gifts when you went out to play.”
Xu Qi An tilted his head, “This time, Big Brother had some business and didn’t bring gifts. Why are you tilting your head?”
“I’m learning from big brother,” Xu Ling Yin maintained her tilted head posture.
Xu Qi An looked at her with his head tilted.
Xu Ling Yin also looked at him with her head tilted.
Unbearable. What a silly child. I wonder if feeding her a lotus seed would make her smarter.
No, that would be too wasteful.
“Why hasn’t my master returned? I’ve hidden many chicken legs for her, and for Big Brother too,” Xu Ling Yin said, still tilting her head.
At this moment, Aunt came out from the hall and said irritably, “I threw away the chicken legs you hid in your shoes. How could those be eaten? Aren’t you afraid of getting a stomachache?”
The little bean tilted her head, jumping up and down unwillingly, shouting, “Where did you throw them? I want to pick them up for master and big brother to eat.”
Your filial piety has gone bad… Xu Qi An said, “Big brother doesn’t need them. Pick them up for Li Na to eat.”
…
The next day.
Tian Ji and Tian Shu finally returned to the capital. They were first escorted part of the way by Daoist priests from the Earth Sect riding flying swords.
But the Earth Sect Daoists lacked patience and had volatile tempers. They only escorted them to the border of Jiang Province, which was adjacent to the capital, before abandoning the Prince of Huai’s spies and leaving on their own.
After a night’s journey by water, the spies finally returned to the capital.
Entering the imperial city, Tian Ji and Tian Shu entered through the south gate of the palace. The south gate was rarely used for entry or exit, as this area was adjacent to the eunuchs’ dormitories.
At this time, Emperor Yuan Jing had just finished his morning meal and was preparing to leave the palace to seek the National Preceptor at Lingbao Temple for morning lessons.
A eunuch hurriedly came to report that the spies who had gone to Jian Province on a mission had returned to the capital and were waiting outside for an audience.
“Summon them to the Imperial Study.”
Emperor Yuan Jing’s face broke into a smile. He turned to his chief attendant and said leisurely, “I’ve heard that the lotus seeds from the Earth Sect can enlighten all things. Even stones can gain awareness.
“My dear attendant, do you think if I consumed these lotus seeds, I could make up for my lack of natural talent?”
The old eunuch smiled ingratiatingly, “Your Majesty’s talent is unparalleled in the world. What need is there for lotus seeds? However, this old servant still congratulates Your Majesty. Eating the lotus seeds would be like adding wings to a tiger.”
Emperor Yuan Jing laughed heartily.
He suppressed his emotions and waited for over a quarter of an hour before leisurely walking towards the Imperial Study, accompanied by the old eunuch.
In the Imperial Study, Tian Ji and Tian Shu, dressed in black robes and wearing pure gold masks, stood silently with lowered heads, not making a sound.
Emperor Yuan Jing glanced at the two, his smile unwavering. “Where are the lotus seeds? Quickly present them to me.”