stonecrandall Chapter 19 Who Will Lead the Martial Arts World?
Chapter 19 Who Will Lead the Martial Arts World?
Watching those loyal, heavily armored warriors who stood before him with their flesh and blood, easily severed and torn apart like stalks of wheat by the figure's casually swung blade; watching that sword, seemingly forever stained with blood, draw ever closer, each swing bringing a spray of warm blood and eroding his hope for survival...
Zhao Li's nerves finally snapped under the relentless and efficient approach of death.
What imperial majesty, what supreme status, what hegemonic achievements of the Spring and Autumn Period—all become the most laughable and vulnerable decorations in the face of this pure and overwhelming destruction.
Emperor Li Yang, who was destined to unify the nine kingdoms of the Spring and Autumn Period and achieve unprecedented greatness, suddenly pushed aside Han Diao Si, who was standing in front of him all the time, covered in blood and barely breathing. He staggered forward a few steps and stopped about ten feet away from Zhou Yi.
He raised his head, his face streaked with tears and snot, mixed with dust and splattered blood. His expression was contorted with extreme fear, resentment, and a kind of frantic grief. He roared hoarsely at the figure:
"Why—!!! Why, why—!!!"
The roar was shrill, like the final lament of a trapped beast, piercing through the fighting and wailing on the battlefield.
"You clearly possess such ability! Such martial arts skills!" Zhao Li's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Zhou Yi, as if trying to see right through him. "Why didn't you intervene when Gu Jiantang's army was attacking Southern Tang and the borders were about to fall?! Why didn't you demonstrate your strength before Southern Tang was destroyed?!"
His voice was shrill with agitation, filled with an incomprehensible and boundless resentment:
"If you had acted sooner! If you had made your presence known to the world sooner! Who would have dared to touch Southern Tang?! Gu Jiantang wouldn't have dared! Li Yang wouldn't have dared! Who in the world would have dared?!"
"Since you could single-handedly slaughter an army of 150,000 and kill Gu Jiantang like a dog, if you had shown yourself sooner, Southern Tang would have been impregnable! Even if I, Li Yang, harbor ambitions to conquer eight kingdoms, I would never dare to touch Southern Tang in the slightest!!"
"But why don't you?!"
Zhao Li's question, like a lamentation of blood, not only revealed his greatest confusion and resentment before his death, but also the questions in the hearts of many present, and even the age-old mystery that has been repeatedly debated and explored by countless historians, scholars, and wandering scholars throughout the ages.
Why would the "Nameless Swordsman of Southern Tang," who possessed such extraordinary power to change the fate of a nation, choose to seek revenge in such a brutal way after the fall of Southern Tang and the devastation of its people, instead of deterring the war before the disaster struck?
This is illogical, contrary to human nature, and even more contrary to the logic that a "knight-errant" or "strongman" should possess.
However, Zhao Li's roar, filled with all his despair and confusion, seemed to have inadvertently touched a forbidden area, striking the deepest and most untouchable sore spot in that figure's heart!
Zhou Yi, who had been calm and composed, mechanically swinging his sword forward, experienced an extremely brief pause in his movements for the first time.
He slowly turned his head, and for the first time truly focused his gaze completely and clearly on Zhao Li.
That gaze was no longer indifferent.
Rather, it is a chilling coldness that seems to freeze the soul.
no answer.
Only action.
With his left hand still resting on his back, he held the curved blade in his right hand, but with a more concise, swifter, and more... violent motion than ever before, he swung it horizontally towards Zhao Li's direction.
A crescent-shaped blade aura, condensed to the point of being almost invisible, detached from the blade's edge, silent yet moving faster than the limits of visual perception, and slashed out horizontally!
"Puff puff puff puff puff—!!"
Wherever the blade's energy passed, whether it was the "Iron Pagoda" heavy cavalry trying to rush up to protect him, the elite "Shence Army" forming a shield formation, or Han Diaosi gritting his teeth and blocking the way... everything that stood between Zhao Li and this blade's energy, whether human or armor, flesh or steel, was severed at the waist in the same instant!
There was no loud clang of metal clashing, only a faint sound, followed by the gushing of blood and the splashing of entrails!
With a single slash, dozens of feet of air were cleared!
Han Diaosi only had time to condense the three thousand red threads into a thin blood shield in front of him before the blood shield collapsed the moment the blade energy touched him, the red threads were cut in two, and he and several experts beside him were reduced to two pieces of their bodies!
The stench of blood instantly intensified tenfold!
Although Zhao Li was not killed directly by the blade, he was still severely impacted by the aftershock, staggering back several steps, his face and body splattered with the warm blood and bits of flesh of the soldiers around him.
But he seemed to have lost all sense of fear.
The extreme thrill of death brought a twisted sense of relief and madness. He had had enough of this torment of having a knife to his throat and being driven step by step to his doom!
He even suddenly stood up straight, no longer retreating, but instead took a step towards Zhou Yi, one step after another!
"Kill me alone!"
Zhao Li's voice was hoarse as he stared intently at Zhou Yi, his eyes filled with a final, almost pleading madness:
"Please spare my Zhao clan members, okay?!"
"All orders, all actions, were carried out by me alone! The massacre of the city was my decree, the destruction of the nation was my ambition! War... has nothing to do with them! Let them go!!!"
He practically roared out his final condition: to exchange his imperial head for the continuation of the Zhao family bloodline.
"yes……"
Zhou Yi, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. His voice was soft and faint, yet it clearly reached the ears of Zhao Li and everyone else nearby who could still hear him.
"The war...has nothing to do with them."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Li's ashen face suddenly lit up with an unbelievable, wild joy! The light was so dazzling that it made his distorted features appear somewhat strange. He thought the other party had agreed! Agreed to this deal—to exchange his life for the survival of the Zhao family!
However, the corners of his mouth had barely twitched, and the hint of ecstasy hadn't even had a chance to fully bloom—
The swords flashed again.
It was still that same curved blade, still a simple horizontal slash.
This time, however, Blade's target was crystal clear.
Zhao Li felt a chill run down his neck, and his vision suddenly spun. He saw his own headless body, clad in a dragon robe, slowly falling below him; he saw the terrified faces of the armored soldiers around him; he saw the burning palace in the distance; he saw the pitch-black night sky…
Finally, what solidified in his vision was the blood-soaked figure standing with a sword in hand, his eyes still as calm as a deep pool.
His face still held the fleeting joy and hope of his life.
"His Majesty...His Majesty...is dead..."
"The Emperor... has been killed..."
After a brief silence, boundless panic erupted like a plague among the remaining Li Yang army! Having lost their leader and witnessed the emperor being beheaded like a chicken or a dog, their last shred of will to resist completely collapsed.
Someone dropped their weapon, cried out in terror, and turned to run. Like the first domino toppling, the sounds of weapons hitting the ground, screams of terror, and desperate fleeing filled the air! Tens of thousands of elite soldiers who had just been standing ready for battle completely abandoned their formation and honor, scattering in all directions like a frightened herd of beasts.
Zhou Yi ignored these defeated soldiers.
He carried his knife, the blood dripping from its tip forming a broken red line on the bluestone slab, and continued walking towards the palace.
The Annals of Emperor Ai of Liyang records: "...That night, lightning struck the Imperial Observatory, and more than half of the palace collapsed. An unnamed guest from the Southern Tang entered the city, carrying swords and knives. He started from the Vermilion Bird Gate, passed through the Chengtian Gate, traversed the twelve palaces of the inner palace, and went straight to the front of the Tai'an Palace. More than ten thousand armored soldiers and dozens of skilled attendants along the way could not stop him. His blood soaked the red steps, reaching up to his ankles."
"Zhao Li..."
In the distance, under the protection of Qi Xuanzhen's sword formation, Xu Xiao saw the rolling head, adorned with an imperial crown, and his emotions were complex and indescribable. Although not long ago, this emperor had tacitly approved and even planned the ambush against his wife, witnessing a former friend who had fought alongside him, ultimately ascended to the throne, and almost completed the unification of the empire, end up in such a way... a sense of sorrow, like that of a rabbit mourning the death of a fox, still uncontrollably welled up in his heart.
"Xu Xiao." Wu Su, who was in her arms, noticed the fluctuation in her husband's emotions. She endured her injuries and weakness, and although her voice was soft, it was firm and undeniable. "Don't have any improper thoughts... At this moment, one wrong step will lead to utter ruin."
Xu Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and squeezed Wu Su's cold hand tightly: "Don't worry... I won't be that foolish." He knew what Wu Su was reminding him of. With Zhao Li's death, the Li Yang central government collapsed, creating a seemingly enormous power vacuum. But the figure carrying a knife who walked into the palace was now the sole ruler of Tai'an City, and indeed the entire world. Any inappropriate thought could lead to utter destruction.
He raised his head, looking at Qi Xuanzhen, who sat cross-legged on the back of the black tiger, remaining detached from worldly affairs. He solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and bow: "Master Qi, my wife and I will never forget your life-saving grace today. In the future, whatever you need, as long as it does not violate my principles, I, Xu Xiao, will be at your beck and call!"
"There is no future." Qi Xuanzhen's gaze did not leave the direction of the palace. His voice was calm. "However, Xu Xiao, I do have something that I need you to do later."
Xu Xiao was taken aback, then said in a deep voice, "Xu Xiaoyuan will lead the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry outside the city and the troops that can still be mobilized inside the city to cover for you, Master!" He thought that Qi Xuanzhen was finally going to make a move to deal with the nameless swordsman from Southern Tang.
"You misunderstand. I am going to take action against him, but I don't need your help." Qi Xuanzhen shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the flames burning all over the city, the faint cries of looting, and the scattered soldiers whose discipline had begun to crumble due to the emperor's death and the collapse of their commanders, some even intending to take advantage of the chaos. "Zhao Li is dead, the central government of Liyang has collapsed, and order is about to crumble. In Tai'an City, you currently hold the highest status and the greatest prestige, and you still have troops at your disposal."
His voice suddenly turned stern, carrying an unquestionable imperial decree: "I want you, in your capacity as Grand General and Pillar of State, to gather the routed soldiers, quell the riots, and guard the four gates and key locations of Tai'an City! Reduce unnecessary killings and prevent a possible massacre of the city! There are still hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in this city!"
Xu Xiao was stunned: "Master Qi, Li Yang has been destroyed, the dust has settled, why do you still..." He really didn't understand. If Qi Xuanzhen really cared about Li Yang, why didn't he take action before? Now that the situation is settled, why does he want to face the enemy alone?
"It has nothing to do with Li Yang." Qi Xuanzhen interrupted him, turning his gaze back to the palace, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—a mixture of expectation and gravity. "It is my personal matter. My battle with him is now unavoidable."
He paused, as if sensing something, and continued, "Originally, I wanted to... delay for a few days until his energy and spirit recovered to their peak. But now it seems that I can't delay any longer, and... there's no need to delay any longer."
"He is stronger than I expected."
Outside the city, at the mountain pavilion.
"It's over." Wang Xianzhi crossed his arms, watching the flames in Tai'an City gradually die down and then flicker back up, and the figure disappearing into the depths of the palace, and made his judgment. The emperor had been beheaded, the army had collapsed, and the fortunes of Liyang had crumbled.
"The end?" Huang Sanjia, still staring at the virtual chessboard, chuckled upon hearing this, picked up a non-existent chess piece with his fingertip, and gently tapped it on the center position. "The main event is just beginning. Qi Xuanzhen... is about to make his move."
"Qi Xuanzhen?" Wang Xianzhi frowned, puzzled. "He watched Liyang perish without offering any help before, so he has even less reason to help the Zhao family now."
"Who said it was for Li Yang's sake?" Huang Sanjia's gaze was profound, as if he could see through the chessboard before him and see a deeper entanglement of cause and effect. "To forcefully stop the rolling torrent of history with one's own body, to interrupt the predetermined course of destiny... How could such a heaven-defying act not incur the backlash of the Heavenly Dao? Qi Xuanzhen cultivates the Heavenly Dao, and his senses are most acute at this moment. If he does not take action to 'correct' it, and lets this variable completely disrupt the Heavenly Dao, even if he cultivates diligently for a hundred lifetimes, the Heavenly Dao will not allow him to get what he wants."
The workings of Heaven are keenly aware. The original trajectory of "Heaven's Mandate" should have been for the Zhao clan of Liyang to align with the element of fire, unify the nine kingdoms of the Spring and Autumn period, and usher in a new era. However, this process was abruptly interrupted and crushed by the nameless swordsman of Southern Tang with overwhelming force! Naturally, the unseen forces of fate would generate resistance and backlash. A "Chosen One" should have emerged to restore order and suppress this "variable." However, with Qi Xuanzhen, a reincarnation of Lu Zu who cultivates the Heavenly Way and is even a part of "Heaven's Mandate" himself, there is no need to wait for a new "Chosen One" to be born.
Qi Xuanzhen could sense that if he were to attack the nameless swordsman from Southern Tang at this moment, regardless of victory or defeat, as long as he was willing to go all out and follow the will of Heaven to "maintain" the predetermined path, he would receive a great "gift" from it, enough to save him hundreds of years of hard cultivation, and it might even allow him to fulfill his wish in his next life.
This is the real reason why Qi Xuanzhen had to take action. Not for Li Yang, not for personal grudges, but solely for the woman in red.
Inside Tai'an City.
Qi Xuanzhen, dressed in purple robes and with a jade belt, with a handsome and dashing appearance, slowly rose from the back of the magnificent black tiger.
As he took a step forward, countless lifelike illusory blue lotuses appeared in the void beneath his feet, supporting him as he ascended higher and higher until he stood facing Zhou Yi, who stood atop the glazed tile ridge of the highest hall of the imperial palace, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, occasionally unleashing a blade of energy to slay the panicked Zhao clan members fleeing below.
Inside the palace, the last member of the Zhao family to be found was torn to shreds by the blade amidst a piercing scream.
The entire palace was eerily silent, except for the crackling of flames and the faint sounds of distant commotion.
Qi Xuanzhen's clear gaze met Zhou Yi's calm gaze as they looked back, meeting in the night sky.
"Qi Xuanzhen of Longhu Mountain," Qi Xuanzhen began, his voice clear and melodious, not loud, yet strangely suppressing all the noise in the city, echoing clearly above the vast city of Tai'an, "Please... enlighten me, Your Excellency."
"That Qi Xuanzhen is utterly shameless! Taking advantage of someone in distress!" A furious shout rang out from outside the city, and a streak of azure sword light, like a shooting star shooting against the current, fiercely broke through the night and entered the city on a sword! It was none other than Li Chungang, whose cultivation level had plummeted due to his failed sword challenge and damage to his sword heart, yet he had never strayed far from the city!
He stood atop a flying sword, his clothes disheveled, but his eyes remained as sharp as ever, glaring angrily at Qi Xuanzhen high above. Outside the city, he wasn't the only one with this thought; many secretly cursed Qi Xuanzhen as shameless, but only a handful of people dared to step forward at this moment, openly questioning and displaying hostility.
Apart from Li Chungang, who flew into the city on a sword.
and also--
"Qi Xuanzhen! Wang Xianzhi, I'll be impressed by your skills!!!"
A thunderous roar, like the booming of a bell, resounded from the mountain peak outside the city! Wang Xianzhi's figure shot into the sky like a cannonball, abandoning all pretense, and with the most savage and domineering posture, carrying boundless fighting spirit and immense energy, he crashed down onto a section of the still intact and majestic city wall of Tai'an City! Bricks and stones flew, dust filled the air, and the city wall shook violently! His burly body stood upright like a spear, his gaze burning, locked onto Qi Xuanzhen in the sky.
Almost simultaneously, another chilling sword aura swept in from the south!
"In Sui Xiegu, there is also a sword; please, Master Qi, appraise it!"
The sound was cold and sharp, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound! Dozens of longswords of various shapes and sizes, all of them extraordinary, flew in from outside the city and landed squarely on the outer wall of a tall building behind Qi Xuanzhen. The swords trembled and hummed incessantly! A slender and tall figure appeared silently on the hilt of the tallest sword, standing with his arms crossed. It was none other than Sui Xiegu, who was known for his ability to absorb sword energy!
Li Chungang, Wang Xianzhi, and Sui Xiegu!
Three of the world's most outstanding martial arts grandmasters formed a triangular formation, subtly surrounding Qi Xuanzhen, who stood in mid-air! The three exuded powerful auras, and although they did not directly join forces, their overwhelming fighting spirit and subtle hostility made the air in this area seem to freeze!
"Qi Xuanzhen!" Li Chungang's voice was cold and stern. His sword aura uncontrollably emanated from his body, and below, countless soldiers' swords began to tremble slightly, as if they were about to be unsheathed and fly out, a myriad of swords returning to their source! "Your so-called Heavenly Way is to take advantage of others' misfortunes and kick them when they're down?!"
If Qi Xuanzhen's answer is unsatisfactory, or if he makes any unusual moves, these three grandmasters, who have reached the pinnacle in their respective fields, will not hesitate to launch a shocking joint attack!
However, at this critical moment when tensions were running high and a conflict was about to erupt—
"I am General Xu Xiao!!!"
A majestic, powerful roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, resounded from the top of Tai'an City!
Xu Xiao had somehow already climbed the walls of Tai'an City, a long spear in hand, his armor gleaming coldly in the torchlight. He channeled his inner strength, his voice echoing throughout the city:
"Where are the Great Snow Dragon Riders! The Ironclad Cavalry! The Shence Army?!"
"exist--!!!"
Outside the city, tens of thousands of the most elite cavalry from Beiliang and Liyang, who had already assembled and were in perfect military formation, roared in unison like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down! The sound waves converged, like the roar of an ancient behemoth, shaking the entire city of Tai'an! Dust fell in clumps from the city walls.
This formidable army, fresh from the terror of witnessing the emperor's assassination and teetering on the brink of collapse, seemed to find an outlet in Xu Xiao's roar, rediscovering their former glory and ferocity! They unleashed all the pent-up frustration, powerlessness, and fear they had felt against the nameless swordsman of Southern Tang tonight, channeling it all into a surging fighting spirit! How long ago was it that they, as the assembled army, crushed the martial world? What martial artist dared to be so arrogant before them?! Dared to fly over their heads?!
"Form ranks—enter the city!!!" Xu Xiao pointed his spear forward, aiming straight into the city!
"As the General commands!!!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Iron hooves struck the earth once more, this time with greater precision, heavier impact, and unwavering momentum! Tens of thousands of heavily armored cavalry began to move, like a steel torrent awakening, or dragons rising from the land, surging into Tai'an City through several main gates! The earth groaned and trembled beneath their iron hooves!
Xu Xiao took the lead, charging at the very front of the group, his spear pointed in the direction of Li Chungang and the others, his voice like the clang of metal echoing through the night sky:
"Master Qi! Fight with all your might! I, Xu Xiao, along with the Great Snow Dragon Riders, the Ironclad Cavalry, and the Divine Strategy Army, will stand guard for you!!!"
"Beat the drums! Follow me—press forward!!!"
"Holy crap!!!"
The war drums thundered instantly! The tens of thousands of iron cavalry, already brimming with momentum, erupted with overwhelming killing intent and fighting spirit under the personal leadership of Xu Xiao, the battle-hardened butcher! They were no longer headless flies, no longer fish to be slaughtered, but had transformed back into the fierce and ruthless army that swept across the land and trampled the rivers and lakes!
However, Xu Xiao's decisive action of leading his troops into the city and openly supporting Qi Xuanzhen was like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, completely exacerbating the existing antagonism!
The imperial court and the martial world, the military and the individual—at this moment in Tai'an City, they have formed an extremely sharp opposition!
Xu Xiao had swept through the martial world of six kingdoms, annihilating countless sects, earning him deep-seated hatred from the people of the martial world. Meanwhile, the nameless swordsman of Southern Tang was undoubtedly the pinnacle of martial prowess. His feat of single-handedly destroying Li Yang had elevated the status and pride of the martial world to unprecedented heights!
If General Xu Xiao held an unparalleled position in the hearts of his soldiers, then the nameless swordsman of Southern Tang held the same position in the hearts of the martial arts world.
Xu Xiao, are you the supreme general in the hearts of the soldiers?
That nameless swordsman from the Southern Tang Dynasty is the undisputed legend of the martial arts world in the hearts of the people!
"snort!"
A cold snort filled with disdain and anger rang out from some corner of the city.
Immediately afterwards, it was like a spark igniting a prairie fire—
"Do you think I'm invincible?!"
"Western Shu warriors! Don't let me look down on you!!!"
"Southern Tang warriors! Are they all dead?! Why aren't you making a move?!"
"The swordsmen of Dongyue are here! We are ready to support our fellow swordsmen!!!"
"Since this is a matter of the martial world, all warriors should share the responsibility! I, from Northern Mang, will also join in the fun!!"
Shouts rose and fell, from outside Tai'an City, from inside Tai'an City, from every corner, from behind the collapsed houses, from the tops of towering pavilions, from the dark alleys... figures emerged like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, some alone, some in groups!
Western Shu, Southern Tang, Eastern Yue, Western Chu... even Northern Mang, which has always been separated from the Central Plains Jianghu! At this moment, national borders, grudges, and sect differences all seem to become insignificant in front of that proud figure standing atop the palace!
This is the martial world, a response to the iron cavalry of the imperial court!
For a time, the city of Tai'an was filled with bizarre and chaotic sights, and the atmosphere was extremely tense!
Beneath the rooftops and along the long streets, tens of thousands of heavy cavalry, commanded by Xu Xiao, were clad in gleaming armor, wielding countless swords and spears, their fighting spirit boiling! The steel torrent advanced rapidly, its chilling aura as biting as a harsh winter!
Above the rooftops, amidst the flying eaves and brackets, stood countless martial artists from all corners of the land, dressed in diverse attire, wielding a variety of weapons, and possessing varying strengths of aura! Some stood, some smirked, some crossed their arms, others rubbed their fists together, their eyes fixed menacingly on the advancing army below. Sword energy, saber intent, fist energy… all sorts of auras intertwined and soared into the sky, clashing with the army's chilling aura, neither yielding an inch!
In this capital city, which had just experienced the fall of an emperor and the collapse of a dynasty, two enormous and opposing forces—the martial world and the imperial court, the individual and the collective—formed a brief and fragile balance, restraining and deterring each other.
All eyes eventually turned to the highest point—
On the top of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, an unnamed swordsman from the Southern Tang Dynasty stands alongside Qi Xuanzhen of Longhu Mountain, who walks with lotus-like steps and seems to float in mid-air.
By a twist of fate, the will of the two men no longer represented only themselves.
If either of them gives an order, or even just a signal to act...
This brief and fragile balance will be shattered in an instant!
Xu Xiao's iron cavalry will crush any Jianghu people who stand in his way without hesitation, while the Jianghu warriors gathered on the rooftop, representing the nine kingdoms of the world and even the Northern Barbarians, will unleash their strongest fighting spirit and killing moves, rushing towards the imperial court's lackeys who have brought them countless oppressions.
This will be the largest, most participated, and most brutal and direct battle between the martial arts world and the imperial court in history!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
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