Chapter 25: The Dragon Roars, the Tiger Howls, Holding a Divine Weapon

From his vantage point, Yue Qianfeng could already see that city in the distance.

As one of the two fortress cities guarding Jiangzhou, the capital of Chen State, it occupied a unique position in the terrain. From here, it was only about a hundred li away. With Yue Qianfeng's pace—even while carrying this great master of numerology, who knew nothing of martial arts—even if strong enemies blocked their path, they could still reach it within half a day.

But that elderly man was just sitting on a rock, holding a branch in his hand, drawing intricate patterns in the thin layer of dust beneath him. Even when assassins had come moments ago, he didn't lift his head. Upon that thin layer of dust was a massive circle, filled with stars and celestial imagery—complex beyond compare.

The branch in the old man's hand was like a carving knife, slicing that round sky apart again and again, leaving behind rows of written symbols, becoming more intricate with each stroke—so much so that Yue Qianfeng could no longer understand what he was seeing.

The Method of Cutting the Round Sky.

The elder, known as the Grandmaster, was a venerable figure in the Daoist sects, one of the twenty-four sacrificial wine-bearers (a title of great prestige), well-versed in astronomy, and a grandmaster of numerology. His specialty was deduction and divination. He believed that all things in the human world had already been imprinted in the glow of the stars above, and by cutting away all that was unreasonable, one could infinitely approach the truth.

Yue Qianfeng called out to him a few more times before the Grandmaster finally lifted his head. Yue asked:

"Grandmaster, shall we set out immediately?"

The old man sat on the rock, his voice soft:

"Waiting for a reply from my friend."

"Thank you, General Yue, for accompanying this old man for a few more days."

Yue Qianfeng understood immediately.

Before setting out, the elder had already sent letters to his friends—among them the great Confucian scholar Wang Tong, the seventh giant of the traveling Mohist scholars, and the eldest living Sima of the Yin-Yang school.

Aside from that one figure from the Legalist school, they had all replied.

Even scholars have their backbone. After learning of Marshal Yue's wrongful persecution, these elders, their hair already white with age, rose to action once again, hoping to rescue the last hope of this nation.

The Grandmaster had agreed with his friends to head for Jiangzhou together, but he had already sent Yue Qianfeng by special means to alter the meeting place to Guanyi City. The elder said:

"Let me indulge in a bit of selfishness... It was originally to save Marshal Yue, but since this great cause has come about, I also wish to introduce to them the inheritor I am about to find."

Yue Qianfeng thought of that rumored organization and said:

"The Heavenly Pivot Society of Eastern Lands?"

The elder shook his head. "Too restrictive."

"I merely want to leave him a path to survive."

"What we're doing will surely infuriate both court and commoners. It's fine for me, an old man, but if I find a disciple, the consequences will surely involve him too. I've thought about this for a long time, and there's only one way to protect his life."

"He needs to have immense fame yet behave with extreme caution."

Yue Qianfeng muttered, "Immense fame, extreme caution…"

"To kill such a man would do more harm than good—it's indeed the way to save his life."

The elder lowered his head again to continue his deductions, speaking calmly:

"I will give Guanyi City a reputation of immense prestige."

"Like a torrential downpour descending from the heavens, falling upon all equally. How much of it can be caught… depends on his own fortune."

Yue Qianfeng understood—the great prestige the elder spoke of was also a way to build momentum for rescuing Marshal Yue.

Chen State revered scholars, while the imperial court valued martial strength. Different states required different strategies.

This method—only in Chen State would it be truly effective.

Gazing at Guanyi City, Yue resolved that he must ensure the elder made it safely inside. The guards at the city had already been replaced by Lu Youxian, one of Chen's renowned defensive generals, and the strongest figure in the city now was surely that old white tiger of the Xue family. Though separated by a hundred li, though he was alone—it felt like two armies squaring off against one another.

"When will your friends arrive?"

"Four or five days at the earliest, half a month at the longest."

"Good. Then, when the time comes, I will round up some fugitives and drive them toward Guanyi City to scatter the imperial guards' attention, while I will personally go challenge Lu Youxian and that old man of the Xue family. A feint in the east to strike in the west—at that moment, Grandmaster, you may enter the city at leisure. Under the cover of great momentum, they wouldn't dare to act rashly."

The elder said worriedly, "It won't harm the common folk, will it?"

Yue Qianfeng replied, "Naturally, I have my ways to control those fugitives."

"Fugitives love their lives."

"Faced with a one-in-ten chance of survival versus immediate death…"

"They can tell the difference."

"As for that Xue Daoyong—he has sharp eyes and a gambler's instinct, but in the end, he's just a businessman. A businessman values profit; he won't fight me to the death."

The elder nodded, drawing the final stroke of that complex, nearly breathtakingly beautiful pattern. After completing it, he began deducing further, but gradually, his white eyebrows began to furrow. Yue Qianfeng asked:

"What's wrong?"

The elder stroked his beard and said:

"I don't know. Perhaps I've miscalculated."

"Hmm?"

"Today, I used the Method of Cutting the Round Sky to divine whether I would find a disciple, but the result is odd. The circle is like the heavens, stars densely filling it. Yet even though it's currently the third month of spring, by the end of the calculation, the sky was silent and empty—yet the dragon's horns of the Dragon Constellation appeared in the southern heavens. The sun and moon passed right through those horns, while the Tiger Constellation still shone brightly in the west. The two gleamed together."

"The south belongs to fire, and for a dragon to travel there… it's a dire omen."

"If I haven't miscalculated, then it means that the one destined to be my disciple is bearing the Dharmic Aspect of Dragon and Tiger, walking the path of warfare."

"And not just any dragon or tiger…"

"A Fire Dragon and a White Tiger."

"Fire Dragon… White Tiger?"

The elder couldn't help but laugh, pointing at the Cutting the Round Sky diagram, densely marked with countless celestial symbols. He clapped his hands and recited:

"Everything in the cosmos fits together like interlocking brackets, sheltering beneath the blue sky, all without obstruction for years, now forming karmic ties."

"Cultivation completed, deeds fulfilled—three thousand accomplishments."

"Subdue the Fire Dragon, tame the Tiger—transcend mortality on land!"

…

Inside the Xue Family's Listening Wind Pavilion, Li Guanyi was flipping through the Upper Three Rankings. These three rankings were not large; only the General Ranking had more entries, listing over a hundred famous generals from various factions. The divine weapons and Dharmic Aspects were far fewer. While the elder brewed tea, Li Guanyi casually asked about the topic that had been on his mind.

Xue Daoyong answered frankly, laughing:

"Dharmic Aspects?"

"There are two types—innate and acquired."

"Innate ones are exceedingly rare—across a whole century, perhaps fewer than ten people would possess one. They're the so-called born with extraordinary omens—ancient figures with double pupils, high noses, dragon-like faces—all were like this. As for the acquired kind—they're forged through hardship, slaughter, and tireless cultivation."

"Eventually, one merges their martial will with the world's vital energy, and it manifests into a Dharmic Aspect. Though innate ones are indeed enviable, this is how the world works. Some are just born with talent, like they've come with a mission. Talent itself is a thing of fate—hard to explain."

"But I've only heard of those innate ones. In my 130 years, I've never seen anyone with low martial cultivation suddenly possess a Dharmic Aspect."

Li Guanyi nodded in agreement.

The elder continued:

"Besides exceptional killing power, Dharmic Aspects all come with unique traits."

"For example, I've heard of Aspects that let their holders control specific weapons. Others grant immunity to poison. Some can even ensure everlasting youth. These traits require no cultivation—they come with the Aspect itself, always active."

Li Guanyi grew curious.

He wondered—what special abilities would the Red Dragon and White Tiger Aspects possess?

A knock came from outside the door.

The old patriarch of the Xue family said, "Come in."

A white-haired steward carried a tray and walked in briskly, setting it on the table. Xue Daoyong said with a smile:

"Young sir, you have family with you, and our Xue family's inner residence is quite disorderly, full of men. Even honored guests, unless they marry one of our branch family daughters, cannot bring family members into the inner residence."

He picked up a piece of paper from the tray, pressed it to the table, and slid it toward Li Guanyi.

The old man smiled faintly.

"This is the deed for the courtyard you live in."

"That entire courtyard, including the land beneath it, now belongs to you."

"What you requested at the tax office has also been handled."

Li Guanyi held the deed in his hands. That courtyard's rent wasn't cheap—buying it outright would be five hundred strings of cash. Including the land, it could be even more…

Just handed over like this?

One thought flashed through the young man's mind—

Could I sell this for cash?!

Even half price would be fine…

He noticed that the steward had come unprompted, meaning that Xue Daoyong must've ordered it earlier, likely back when he went to the training grounds. The old man smiled again:

"This is a gift regardless of whether you agree to become an honored guest or not. Consider it a gesture of goodwill from the Xue family."

"Only petty merchants fixate on gold and silver. True merchants value relationships."

"For the sake of relationships, even a thousand gold coins mean nothing."

"Young sir, you're a man of loyalty and righteousness. I offer friendship; I won't let that be for nothing."

"As for your position as guest-official…"

"The monthly stipend rises from thirty to fifty strings of cash, with corresponding supplies of pills, cultivation materials—identical to what our Xue family's core heirs receive."

"This manual here is our Xue family's archery technique 'Flying Feather Linked Pearls'. It complements footwork and archery. I see that you know internal arts and blade techniques. While this may not dominate the martial world, it's among the best in Jiangnan."

"As for unarmed combat, we acquired 'Seven Strikes of Scattering Hands' from the Beggars' Sect."

"Only for use when you lose your weapon."

"These martial arts manuals will be taught by…"

Xue Daoyong had originally intended to assign one of the Xue family's instructors, but his voice paused as his gaze landed on the nearby girl resting her chin on her hands, silently listening but unable to join the conversation. Xue Shuangtao was watching a butterfly fluttering around the lotus leaves. The butterfly slowly flew to perch by her hairpin, making her eyes light up with joy.

The elder was thoughtful for a moment, then smiled faintly:

"Shuangtao shall teach you personally."

The lazy girl lying on her arm suddenly sat up like a startled kitten.

Eyes wide: "Huh???"

Li Guanyi, still calculating the potential cash value of the deed: "Huh???"

They stared at each other in mutual confusion.

The old man burst into hearty laughter. He clearly hoped his granddaughter could form this bond of goodwill. Whether she married into a great noble family or stayed to lead the Xue family in the future, having such a talented man as an ally outside would make things much easier.

Li Guanyi nodded. "If Miss Xue is willing."

The old man was satisfied. "I'm her grandfather—she listens to me."

He was inwardly delighted, even more so seeing how composed Li Guanyi was.

He'd already noticed that the boy's gaze repeatedly fell upon that Heaven-Shaking Bow. He knew—young men were always curious about legendary weapons, harboring both fascination and desire. Feeling nostalgic for his own youth, and in this cheerful mood, he suddenly spoke generously:

"Young sir, curious about the Heaven-Shaking Bow?"

Li Guanyi nodded. "Yes."

Meanwhile, the tiny, childish roar of the White Tiger Dharmic Aspect in his ear almost made his head ache.

Xue Daoyong laughed. "Then—why not hold it?"

Li Guanyi was stunned, as Xue Daoyong stepped aside, revealing the bow.

The young man hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out his hand.

Amidst the roaring of the White Tiger in the bronze cauldron, his fingers rested on the ancient, unadorned bow.

They closed, gently, into a firm grip.

(End of Chapter)